Female Slaves and Sexual Exploitation Slavery has often been criticized for various factors and the experience of several female slaves clearly manifests why slavery was a bitter reality for the blacks. One crude aspect of slavery from the perspectives of female slaves has been linked to their sexual exploitation, and often the black slave women have fallen prey to the ulterior intentions of their masters. As the experience of Harriet Jacobs demonstrates, every black woman faced the issue of sexual exploitation by white men in the South. Harriet Jacobs’ master, Dr. Norcom was particularly interested in her and wanted her to submit to him sexually. According to the cruel master, the slave was not of any advantage of having her sexual rights as well and the black slave women could only submit themselves to the demands of the master. The experiences of Harriet Jacobs illustrate the pathetic fate of black women and how she has suffered the sexual harassments of her master right from childhood. Samuel Tredwell Sawyer a young attorney, whom she perceived as a ray of hope for her, also took advantage of the situation. However, there was something noble about the relation with Samuel Tredwell Sawyer, who was nearly a savior for her. On the whole, Harriet Jacob’s experiences eloquently demonstrate the sexual exploitation of the black women slaves at the hands of their White masters. Motherhood for Female Slaves In a profound analysis of Harriet Jacob’s situation, one finds that there is remarkable difference between the experiences of a white mother and a black mother and the concept of motherhood becomes totally different between these two classes. To a slave woman, motherhood was always a bitter experience with no real advantage of making any decision on the affairs of her children. She always found the superior hands of the master interfering in every matter concerning her children. She had no say in the matters concerning her children’s future instead, the master decided it. The children were sometimes sold off or sent to the slave plantations etc, and the mother could do little to ensure the safety of the children. As the experience of Harriet Jacobs demonstrates, sometimes the relation with the children also hindered the freedom and progress of the slave mothers. Harriet Jacobs as an Abolitionist The efforts of Harriet Jacobs, the first woman slave to write an autobiography telling her experience as a slave woman, can be seen as one of the strong appeals for a notional fight for the rights of black women experiencing sexual exploitation at the hands of their masters. This plea for universal efforts to deal with the problems of women in the South, will be responded with great deeds of brotherhood and her words are so strong to convince the people of every sector about the formidable situation of the black women in the South. As a Northerner of the 1850s, I would be one of the first ones to respond to the plea made by Harriet Jacobs who is successful in convincing me about her bitter experience. Her acts and experiences will be circulated among the people and strong agitation in favor of this Abolitionist will be sought. The response to the observations by others The video clipping