Interpersonal Violence in the African-American Community (eBook)

Robert L. Hampton is one of the founders of the Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community. He has served as President of York College (CUNY), Associate Provost and Dean at the University of Maryland, College Park, as a research associate at Children’s Hospital in Boston and the Harvard Medical School. He has published extensively and spoken about the issues of interpersonal violence in minority communities. Thomas P. Gullotta is C.E.O. of Child and Family Agency and is a member of the psychology and education departments at Eastern Connecticut State University. He is the senior author of two textbooks: Today’s Marriage and Families: A Wellness Approach, and the 4th edition of The Adolescent Experience. Tom is the co-editor of The Encyclopedia of Primary Prevention and Health Promotion, and co-editor of Handbook of Evidence-Based Approaches for the Treatment and Prevention of Challenging Behaviors in Adolescence. He is the editor emeritus of the Journal of Primary Prevention, the senior book series editor for Issues in Children's and Families' Lives, and holds editorial appointments on the Journal of Early Adolescence, The Journal of Adolescent Research and the Journal of Educational and Psychological Consultation. He has published extensively on adolescents and primary prevention. Tom was honored in 1999 by the Society for Community Research and Action, Division 27 of the American Psychological Association with their Distinguished Contributions to Practice in Community Psychology Award.

Violence In The Black Family: What We Know, Where Do We Go?.- Young, Wounded, and Black: The Maltreatment of African American Children in the Early Years.- Interventions for Abused African American Women and their Children.- Intimate Violence Between African American Couples: Seeking Intimate Justice in The Midst of Social Injustice.- Domestic Violence and the Black Church; Challenging Abuse One Soul at a Time.- The Art of Healing: An Afrocentric Helping Guide for Practitioners Working with African-American Families who experience Intimate Partner Violence.- Get Thee Behind Me: African American Grandparents Raising Grandchildren who Experienced Domestic Violence.- A Practitioners Guide to Evaluating Domestic Violence Prevention and Treatment Programs.

"Chapter 5 Domestic Violence and the Black Church: Challenging Abuse One Soul at a Time (p. 107-108)

Tricia B. Bent-Goodley

It was almost 5 years since they were married. Ryan was a church-going woman.She had been so ever since she was a child . Having grown up in the Black Church, she valued the importance of supporting her community, being a faithful wife and mother, and honoring her commitments. Accepting that the man is the spiritual leader of the home, she humbled herself to his direction and vision and attempted to support her husband-this black man who was highly regarded and well respected in the community. They had a beautiful home, a wonderful child, and belonged to numerous social and professional organizations.

Fundamental to all of this was her belief in the word of God and her religious values. That was why she found herself confused and perplexed. How could God love me and let me go through so much pain? Didnt "He" see the bruises, the blood, the torn skin or the scabs from previous abuse? Couldnt "He" see the broken spirit, the phony smiles and make-up used to hide the residue of violence? She had prayed. She was anchored in the Word. She was saved. She didnt wish bad things against her husband. She stayed the course, took the faith walk, and continued to support this man who said he loved her, yet was emotionally, physically, and psychologically abusive. So, where was God? Had "He" forgotten me? Doesnt it matter that Im one of the faithful?

Or has God turned "His" back on me because my husband is the Chair of the Deacons Board? Ryan was one of my clients as an early social worker. She was a middleaged, upper-middle-class African-American woman with a visible job and a highly successful husband. She was articulate, well kept, and engaged with her church, school PTA, and professional organizations. Yet, the violence in her home was hidden. She found no recourse in her family who could not understand why someone so successful and attractive stayed in "that type" of relationship. Her friends, many of whom were single, encouraged her to work it out because she could not maintain her current lifestyle on her income alone .

Her spiritual allies told her to pray, stay faithful, help this "brother" through what was believed behavior linked to the pressures of being a black man in a hostile, racist society. She came to me to figure out what she should do. Two years later, after a horrible abusive incident that left her paralyzed on one side of her face, she took her child and moved into her car. She refused to go into a shelter. When her family found out about her situation, her brother allowed her to stay with him until she was able to plan her next move."