Exploring the Experiences Canadian Black Women have with the Police

This paper examines the lived experiences of black women who are involved in the Canadian criminal justice system. The theoretical frameworks guiding this paper include anti-black racism, critical race theory, and black feminism. Using a combination of both a case study and textual analysis as a methodological approach, I analyzed the encounters that three black women had with police in Canada. The findings suggest that black women are often the subjects of unnecessary or excessive use of police force and experience adverse long-term physical and psychological impacts as a result of these encounters. The findings also reveal the ways in which the police force continues to perpetuate systemic anti-black racism. This research concludes by affirming the importance of highlighting black women’s voices, perspectives, and experiences, when discussing police brutality and violence.