Domestic Violence within the African-American Community

Domestic violence within the African American
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Cultural Considerations Impacting Domestic Violence Among African American Women:
Implications for Social Work
Maxine Agazie, Ph.D., ACSW
Professor of Sociology
North Carolina State University
Raleigh, NC
Introduction
Domestic Violence is a widespread, mammoth problem wreaking havoc throughout the United
States. According to Rice (2007), it is a major public health issue and is the most frequent cause
of injury to women. This devastating crime affects all races an socioeconomic levels. It even
reaches into the gay and lesbian communities (Vickers 1996). Men are also victims of domestic
vilence, however, women are eight times more likely to be physically assaulted by an intimate
partner. Each year approximately four million women are physically abused (Paul 2004).
According to InfoPlease (2007), Physical abuse encompasses behaviors ranging from hitting to
the actual use of a weapon.
Domestic violence is the use or threat of use of physical, emotional, verbal or sexual
abuse, with the intent of instilling fear, intimidating and controlling behavior (Rice 2007).
Domestic violence is about abuse, control and violence. Both parties involved are losers. The
abuser displays the behavior of a bully and a coward. Bullies attack those they feel can be
controlled, intimidated and defended by them. The abuser may chronologically be an adult but
psychologically he/she is in the life stage of a toddler. A toddler throws temper tantrums when
things do not go exactly his/her way. They will explode and hit when their world is disturbed in
any way. The major concern they have is about themselves and their own needs. An abuser will
hit, punch, slap, kick, choke, etc. When he/she is upset or when seeking to control the spouse or
partner, he/she will utilize tactics of criticism, isolation and coercion. The abusing spouse is
usually a person who is very insecure and unhappy. The spouse who is abused usually has low
self-esteem and believes he/she deserves to be beaten, as well as, called derogatory names.
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Usually, the spouse who is being abused, grew up in a hostile environment where they may have
been the victim of some form of child abuse. Although, chronologically they are an adult, yet
psychologically, they feel like a worthless, frightened child who is powerless.
It is clearly recognized that domestic violence is rampant throughout the nation among all
races and social classes. This paper, however, focuses on domestic violence among African
American women. This paper examines domestic violence within social and cultural contexts of
the African American community.
Domestic violence in the African American community must be dealt with and
understood within social and cultural contexts. According to Ramos, Carlson and McNutt
(2004), African American women compared to white women, are more likely to leave the
abusing spouse and then return to him. They are also more likely to endure the abuse over a long
period of time and fight back. They are less likely to use formal services. Due to religious
beliefs, family values and other social norms, African American women tend to handle domestic
violence in ways that are not easily understood by the majority culture. Growing up as a young
lady, the African American woman is often told that when she marries it may not be easy but she
must stay for life. She is told, when you married, you are no longer a girl but a woman who must
learn how to be strong and deal with a difficult husband. African American women are aware of
the exorbitant racism existing against African American men in society. The history of lynching,
murder, disrespect and disempowerment of the African American male may cause the abused
spouse to endure the abuse and avoid being seen as a traitor of the Black male (Neville and Pugh,
1997). Due to the many atrocities suffered by African American males. The spouse may be
reluctant to add more problems.
Literature Review
African American women from lower socioeconomic groups may not report an abusive
relationship due to the fear of losing financial stability. The abusing spouse may be the only or
major bread winner paying for food, shelter and clothing for the family (Bell and Mattis, 2000).
Even African American women of higher socio economic status may not report spousal abuse
because they may put at risk their high level of social status (Comas-Diaz and Greene, 1994).
African American women may also be reluctant to report an abusive spouse because of fear of
the spouse and the belief that law enforcement will not take them seriously. Law enforcement
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may look upon the situation as the typical Black man and woman fighting (Tjaden and Thoennes,
2000). Another significant reason many African American women maybe reluctant to report or
end an abusive relationship is the shortage of attainable African American male partners (Heron
et al. 1997). The Women’s Institute for Leadership Development for Human rights (2007),
concurs that due to racial stereotypes, women of color suffer from violence in unusual ways and
are less willing to seek legal protection. African American women account for 16 percent of
those who were physically abused by a spouse or partner in the last five years but they were the
victims in more than 53 percent of the violent deaths occurring in the United States in 1997.
Current domestic violence laws in the United States mainly fail to address the unique
vulnerability of women of color. A dynamic poignant point supporting the above views is made
by Sokoloff (2005):
"One of the major issues for battered women from marginalized communities is that outside help
is feared because there is so much individual and institution discrimination against her from
outsiders – police, courts, doctors, domestic violence agencies and mainstream communities. So
while it may be true that she will face violence in her home or community, it is just as true that if
she goes outside her community, she will face another set of hostilities."
It can be readily understood why many abused African American women may be
reluctant to leave a familiar cadre of family, neighbors and go to live in a shelter with a group of
people they do not know. Many of these shelters are mainly staffed by Caucasian women who
African American women may mistrust or not feel comfortable living with.
Good Shepherd Restoration Ministries (2001), concur that African American women, due
to social norms and cultural issues, may find it more difficult to leav an abusive relationship than
a woman from the majority culture. Bent-Goodley (2004), in her dynamic article, "Perceptions of
Domestic Violence: A Dialogue with African American Women" looks at the perception African
American women have regarding domestic violence. Her findings point out the need to find
more culturally competent methods to address the inaccessibility of domestic violence services
African American women need.
Social Workers must be actively involved in Seeking to ameliorate the dastardly acts of
domestic violence against African American women. A systematic approach must be utilized in
combating this deleterious social ill that hurts the abused spouse, the abuser and the entire
Implications for Social Work
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family. The federal, state and local government must take an active role through finances,
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