Woman Killed For Refusing Unwanted Advances


Janese Talton-Jackson, 29, was murdered last week in Pittsburgh. She refused the advances of Charles McKinney (now in custody) who expressed interest, and it cost the young mother her life. This is a travesty and speaks to the misogyny that runs layers-deep in society. There are certainly men who know how to treat women and do it well. Not excusable are men with adolescent mindsets who are literally killing women they can’t have.

Comment Sections On Talton-Jackson’s Murder Are Distressing

Social media coverage replayed the story of  Talton-Jackson’s untimely death. The comment sections were on fire with people voicing hurt and dismay over yet another woman killed for just simply being. There were also many disturbing comments by some men and women who chose to victim blame. Why was she at a bar? Why didn’t she just give him a fake number? Did she think she was too good to give him some time? My response to all of that: What the hell?

Questions Linger Until They Are Addressed

I had questions too, but I didn’t blame her. Why didn’t a man step in when they saw Talton-Jackson shutting down the unwanted approach? Why are guns allowed inside drinking establishments? What are bar rules on deescalating situations? What made McKinney think he was entitled to anything from Talton-Jackson? The twofold problem of insecure males and gun culture are clearly ongoing issues.

Women Don’t Owe Men Anything Just Because We Get Approached

Safety has to be a number one priority. Not all men are narcissistic and no woman deserves to be killed by a man who can’t handle rejection. A logical person would brush off rejection and move on.  The bottom line is no woman is ever obligated to engage or flirt with anyone. Ever. Contrary to popular belief, women don’t exist to entertain men.

Porn Is A Horrible Dating Guide And Society Seems Okay With It

The world of porn is being used as a how-to guide for dating. As ludicrous as it sounds, it is seen as reality for those who haven’t seen dating modeled in positive ways.  Without a real-life blueprint and positive examples they mimic what they see on the Internet. The dating world and how to approach people has been downsized to text messaging and an offer of Netflix and chili. These models for dating remove women’s agency, and make men feel that women are available for their pleasure.

Porn and Misogyny Are A Dangerous Combination

It seems that in the world of porn, the more demeaning it is for her, the more he gets off. The subjugation and objectification of women are mainstays in male entertainment. To me, porn mostly comes across as deep hatred of women. The man responsible for killing Talton-Jackson had no respect for women, boundaries, or for himself. I know plenty of men who treat women with respect because it’s who they are.

Violence Against Women Must Be Eradicated

It’d be awesome to hear more men speak up for women.  It starts at home and extends out to calling out peers when you hear and see inappropriate behavior. A fist pound or turning a blind eye when a woman is objectified guarantees that violence against women will continue. Stand up for right and remember, Talton-Jackson didn’t deserve to die because she said, “No.”

Featured Image Credit: Facebook.

C. Imani Williams is a human rights and social justice activist. She writes to empower and give voice to those silenced through systematic oppression. Her work has appeared in Between the Lines, Michigan Citizen, Tucson Weekly, Harlem Times, Dope Magazine and various news and popular culture blogs. Follow the unapologetically black political culture critique @ https://twitter.com/Imaniwms and https://www.facebook.com/You-Have-The-Right-540358412796352/?fref=ts