Howard University Graduate Was Treated Like She Wasnât Worth A Damn At Victoriaâs Secret
The list of racist retail incidents across the nation just got its latest addition after a Howard University graduate detailed the racial profiling horror â complete with handcuffsâ that she was subjected to during a visit to a Victoriaâs Secret in Tennessee this week.
Jovita Jones Cage previously bought a bra before bringing it back because its sensor wasnât removed at the time of purchase. She went back to the store in the Carriage Crossing mall in Collierville Monday with her receipt, which an employee verified before removing the sensor. However, all hell broke loose when she then decided to do some browsing in the store before leaving, WREG Memphis reported.
A Collierville Police Officer decided to profile Cage while she was on her way to the storeâs fitting room. Cage, who is a childrenâs tutor, was instantly accused of shoplifting and ordered to put both of her hands behind her back.
âThe police officer walked straight up to me and slapped handcuffs on me. I think it was for the simple fact that I was black,â she said, adding that the store manager called the cops without speaking with her.
The horrific scene played out in front of store shoppers, which could have been friends or colleagues of Cage.
âI donât know if one of the parents of the kids I tutor couldâve been there,â she added, touching on the stigma and embarrassment felt by people of color who are racially profiled. âI donât know if one of my old professors couldâve been in there.â
The officer forcefully searched her purse before finally realizing that she hadnât taken any merchandise. A crying Cage was escorted out of the store and banned from coming back. Really?
She later made a complaint to Victoriaâs Secret corporate office, speaking with a representative who only offered a standard apology and a $100 gift card, which Cage turned down. The company later pulled out all the familiar stops: an executiveâs phone call to Cage, investigation, termination of the employee involved in the incident and promise to better educate workers on the storesâ policies.
Cage was still dealing with the trauma over the incident, having reached out to the NAACP for help. The standard protocol for stores when employees are caught racial profiling doesnât fully address the biases that prompt discriminatory behaviors.
âTheyâre going to have to do more,â Cage said. âI want justice not only for me, but for people everywhere. I hope after this, other victims of racial profiling will come forward. Itâs solidarity. Itâs not just about African-Americans. Itâs about everyone being treated fairly.â
