How does Domestic Violence in Black families Undermine Our Social Efforts?

Topic
Title: Black Hearts: How culturally specific programs can benefit African-American women leaving abusive relationships
Research Question:
How will the implementation of culturally specific domestic violence programs decrease the number of times African-American women return to abusive relationships?
Purpose Statement:
The purpose of this study is to determine whether or not the intersection of race makes a difference in providing support to African- American women in transition after abusive relationships. This project will examine the demographics of women who most frequently return to abusive relationships and whether or not education, employment and racial dynamics of the treatment program can improve the outcomes after shelter. African-American women will be surveyed in two groups those who return to the same or different abusers within a six month period after a shelter stay and after completing a culturally specific domestic violence program. The information obtained from these surveys can be used to develop intensive culturally specific treatment program to provide assistance to African-American women who are the least paid women in the United States and who may be most vulnerable to return to violent relationships.
Problem Statement
Despite the gains of the civil rights movement 40 years ago black women remain the least paid across the board. (U.S. Census, Current population reports, 2007) 32% of black households have an average income of less than $15,000 each year this figure is nearly equal to the combined percentages of the Hispanic and Asian population with income less than $15,000 annually. (U.S. Census, Current population reports, 2007) Domestic violence advocates note that one of the main reasons for women in general to return to abusive home lives is that they lack the financial ability to remain in safe environments. (Landes, 1995) Dr. Joy Leary also adds that African-Americans in particular suffer from Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome, hundreds of years after the Transatlantic Slave Trade because of the actual event of enslavement and subsequent centuries of multigenerational abuse. (Leary, n.d.) Dr. Leary argues that “research has shown that severe trauma can affect multiple generations,” (Vasilikas, 2005, p. 152) similar to the trauma that Jewish people have suffered even when they were not directly injured in the torture camps of Hitler. “There are many manifestations of trauma, so it is no wonder the list of post traumatic slave syndrome symptoms described in this book is long and varied” according to Pamela Hammond’s and Bertha Davis’ review of the Leary’s book that is entitled the same as the condition. Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome affects blacks in America by damaging their ability to parent, interact socially with each other, and in their sexuality among a myriad of other areas in their lives despite the perceived advances from the Civil Rights movement.
The majority of domestic intervention programs only use the cultural model established by adherents of Western culture rather than a holistic view that Africans have subscribed to for centuries. African Americans have a different ethos system than the prevailing ethos system of the U.S. Blacks in America have a more community oriented world view rather than a possession oriented world view. (Karenga, 2002) The damage caused by embracing Western beliefs is evident in Haiti which is the poorest country in the Americas. (Gage & Hutchinson, 2006) Studies in Haiti indicate, “…the importance of adopting a multidimensional approach to the measurement of power in sexual relationships.” (Gage & Hutchinson, 2006, p. 21) Meaning there has to be a significant effort to redirect the beliefs that men have regarding gender roles as well. Those facts, among others leave black women in double jeopardy in terms of breaking the cycle of violence. Researchers hypothesize that school performance decreases with exposure to violence. “Dora Black found that children exposed to disaster were twice as likely to develop psychological disorders,” according to an article published in the Journal of the National Medical Association. (Shakoor & Chalmers, 1991) Previously Joy Osofsky concluded, “Adolescent problems related to violence exposure have been most visible, both in the literature and in the media.” (Ofsofsky, 1995, p. 783) However; very young children exposed to violence, although research is limited, also exhibit stress from violent relationships. (Ofsofsky, 1995) Osofsky also adds that the experience of experiencing violence in relationships has a negative affect on parent’s ability to parent effectively. (Ofsofsky, 1995) In the end the effects of violence end up being passed down to children. Children who witness violence in the home have a propensity to commit violent crimes later in life, are more likely to become delinquents. (Margolin & Gordis, 2000) It is imperative that this public health emergency be resolved.







References
Gage, A. J., & Hutchinson, P. L. (2006). Power, Control, and Intimate Partner Sexual. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 35(1), 11-24. doi: 10.1007/s10508-006-8991-0
Karenga, M. (2002). Introduction to Black Studies. New York: Univ of Sankore Pr.
Landes, A. (1995). Violent Relationships Battering and Abuse Among Adults. Wylie: Information Plus (TX).
Leary, J. D. (2001). A disertation on african american male violence: "trying to kill the part of you that isn't loved (Unpublished doctoral dissertation). Portland State University.
Margolin, G., & Gordis, E. B. (2000). The Effects of Family and Community Violence on Children. Annual Review of Psychology, 51(1), 445-480. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from http://proxy.thechicagoschool.edu:2048/login?url=http://search.ebscohost.com/login.aspx?direct=true&db=buh&AN=3076152&site=ehost-live
Ofsofsky, J. (1995). The Effects of Exposure to Violence. American Psychologist, 50(September), 9th ser., 782-788. Retrieved November 29, 2009, from http://proxy.thechicagoschool.edu:2052/ehost/detail?vid=4&hid=107&sid=edcadd10-bfbe-4458-95e8-6f75f0b984f4%40sessionmgr113&bdata=JnNpdGU9ZWhvc3QtbGl2ZQ%3d%3d#db=pdh&AN=amp-50-9-782
Shakoor, B. H., & Chalmers, D. (1991). Co-victimization of African-American children who witness violence: effects on cognitive, emotional, and behavioral development. Journal of the National Medical Association, 83(3), 233-238.
United States of America, U.S. Census Bureau, U.S. Department of Commerce. (2007). Current population reports (pp. 60-233). Retrieved November 1, 2009, from http://www.census.gov/compendia/statab/tables/09s0668.pdf
Vasilikas, A. (2005, February). Breaking the Chains. Essence, 150-153.