Domestic Violence and African Americans
Domestic violence affects people of all races, income-levels, ages, and sexual preferences. Some minority groups, however, have been especially hard-hit. This includes the African American community.
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In a 1998 study by the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg School for Communication, 64.8% of the 405 African Americans called viewed domestic violence as one of the most serious issues facing their community. |
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In the same study, 42.9% of the 405 African American respondents said that they had strong reason to believe that a woman they knew had been physically abused by her husband or boyfriend in the past year. |
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Approximately one in three African American women are abused by a husband or partner in the course of a lifetime. 1 |
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Of the women who die from domestic violence, 28% are African American. 2 |
Many national and local groups are trying to decrease abuse in African American communities through awareness, education and intervention programs. These groups point out that:
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Minorities need to develop visible leadership to speak out against domestic violence. |
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Community leaders need to organize events that increase awareness of domestic violence in minority neighborhoods. |
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Communities must refuse to ignore or tolerate abuse. |
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Families need to know how they can take effective action to end abuse. |
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Everyone needs to recognize the alarming statistics, especially regarding the impact of domestic violence on women and children. |
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Law enforcement and court systems need to treat all abuse as important, even if the violence is in a same-gender relationship. |
In Ohio, call toll free 1-800-934-9840 for help finding a shelter, counseling, and assistance. From anywhere else in the United States, call toll free 1-800-799-SAFE for help finding a shelter, counseling, and assistance in your area.
1 U.S. Department of Justice, “Extent, Nature and Consequences of Intimate Partner Violence: Findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey,” NCJ 181867, July 2000 (http://www.ncjrs.org/pdffiles1/nij/181867.pdf)
2 FBI, Supplementary Homicide Reports, 1976-1999 (http://www.ojp.usdoj.gov/bjs/homicide/tables/intgendertab.htm)
For more information:
Go to the Domestic Violence health topic.