Georgia is a state with a rich history, diversified culture, and a thriving economy. However, it is also a condition in which being a Black woman might mean the difference between life and death. According to the most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), Georgia has the second-highest maternal death rate in the US and the highest among Black women.
Furthermore, Georgia is among the top ten states with the highest rates of homicide, rape, and domestic violence against women, particularly Black women. What reasons contribute to this concerning condition, and what steps might be taken to ameliorate it?
Maternal mortality: A Crisis of Access and Quality.
Maternal mortality is defined as the death of a woman during or within one year of the end of her pregnancy due to any cause connected to or worsened by the pregnancy or its treatment. From 2013 to 2017, Georgia’s maternal mortality rate was 66.3 deaths per 100,000 live births, compared to the national average of 29.6. Pregnant Georgians were twice as likely as the typical American to die throughout their pregnancy and up to one year after giving birth. However, Black women are three times more likely than white women to die from pregnancy-related problems.
One of the primary causes for this difference is a lack of access to high-quality prenatal and postpartum care. Georgia is among the states that did not expand Medicaid under the Affordable Care Act, leaving 240,000 citizens without coverage. This disparity explains for many Georgians who earn too much to qualify for Medicaid but too little for private insurance.
Even pregnant people who qualify for Medicaid are still likely to lose coverage 60 days after delivery, which is significant given that 79% of pregnancy-related deaths occurred between 43 days and one year after pregnancy, according to the Georgia Department of Public Health’s 2014 Maternal Mortality Report.
Another concern is a lack of health care providers in the state’s rural parts, where 79 of the 159 counties do not have an obstetrician-gynecologist and nine counties do not have any doctors. This implies that many pregnant women must travel vast distances to acquire prenatal care or go without it entirely.
Furthermore, several rural hospitals have discontinued their labor and delivery sections owing to budgetary restrictions, leaving pregnant women to birth in emergency rooms or other institutions that may be unprepared to handle difficulties.
A third aspect is structural racial and gender inequities that influence the quality of treatment that Black women get. According to research, Black women are more likely to face prejudice, contempt, and neglect from healthcare providers, which can result in delays in diagnosis, treatment, and referrals. Black women are also more likely to have chronic diseases including hypertension, diabetes, and obesity, which can raise the risk of pregnancy problems. These illnesses, however, are frequently avoidable or treatable with good and prompt care.
Violence against Women: A Culture of Impunity and Injustice.
Violence against women is another leading cause of mortality and injury among Black women in Georgia. According to the FBI, Georgia had the sixth-highest female murder victim rate in the US in 2019, at 2.8 per 100,000 women. However, Black women had a far higher rate, accounting for 63% of female murder victims in the state while being just 30% of the female population.
Furthermore, Georgia had the ninth-highest rape rate in the country in 2019, at 43.6 per 100,000 women. Again, this statistic disproportionately affects Black women, who are more likely than white women to be sexually attacked by strangers, acquaintances, or intimate relationships.
The state’s culture of impunity and injustice contributes to this violence. Georgia is one of the few states without a hate crime statute, which means that crimes motivated by hatred against a person’s race, gender, sexual orientation, or other traits are penalized equally with other crimes.
This gives the message that certain lives are worth less than others and that abusers may get away with violence. Furthermore, Georgia has a backlog of thousands of untested rape kits, which are evidence gathered from sexual assault survivors that may be used to identify and punish criminals. This backlog not only denies survivors justice but also permits rapists to continue committing crimes against women.
Another cause is a lack of assistance and services for victims of violence. Georgia offers a limited number of shelters, psychological resources, and legal aid for women escaping abusive circumstances or looking for help. Many of these programs are underfunded, understaffed, and overloaded with demand.
Furthermore, some of these programs are culturally insensitive to the needs of Black women, who may experience extra challenges such as racism, shame, and isolation from their communities. As a result, many Black women fail to report abuse, seek aid, or leave violent situations, increasing their risk of future suffering or death.
Conclusion
According to the research, Georgia is a state where Black women are at significant risk of mortality and violence owing to a variety of issues, including poor health care, poverty, racism, and sexism. The data also illustrates the origins and impacts of these elements, as well as the gaps and problems that the state’s laws and practices present. The report also emphasizes the importance of immediate action and intervention to protect and empower Black women in Georgia.