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Research exploring the correlates of sexual victimization has found sexual victimization to be associated with both individual- and contextual-level factors, including age, gender, poverty, and size of the female population. However, to date, research has been limited in exploring how historical factors, such as slavery, may be associated with the contemporary prevalence of sexual victimization of women. Historical accounts have often suggested that enslaved women often experienced sexual victimization during their enslavement. Despite these accounts, research has been limited in empirically exploring the relationship between slavery and the sexual victimization of Black women. Using the 1860 U.S. Census and the 2019 National Incidence-Based Reporting System, multilevel logistic regression analyses are employed to explore whether slavery is consequential for contemporary instances of Black female sexual victimization. In line with the "legacy effect" framework, the findings from the current study suggest that Black women are significantly more likely to be sexually victimized in counties characterized by larger enslaved populations in 1860. These findings illuminate how historical institutions, despite being outlawed, have contemporary consequences, particularly for Black women. These findings, discussions, avenues for future research, and policy implications are discussed below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Drawing on the "legacy effect" framework and the intergroup contact hypothesis, this study examines whether 1) slavery is associated with anti-Black hate crimes, 2) racial segregation is associated with anti-Black hate crimes, and 3) racial segregation moderates the relationship between slavery and anti-Black hate crimes. Methods: Using several data sources, including the 1860 and 2000 U.S. Census and the 2000-2016 Uniform Crime Report, negative binomial regressions are employed to explore these research questions. Results: In support of the "legacy effect" and intergroup contact hypothesis, the findings from the analyses reveal that both slavery and racial segregation are significantly associated with increases in anti-Black hate crimes. Moreover, the relationship between slavery and anti-Black hate crimes is amplified by racial segregation. Conclusions: The results from this research suggest that historical practices and institutions, such as slavery, can influence the contemporary maltreatment of Black citizens. Specifically, the racism and discrimination inherent in slavery has manifested in the form of modern-day anti-Black hate crimes. Additionally, the relationship between slavery and anti-Black hate crimes is amplified when racial segregation prevents racial and ethnic groups from building meaningful relationships that could demystify the culture of Black inferiority created by the institution of slavery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]