ABSTRACT

Break the silence surrounding Black women's experiences of violence!

Written from a Black feminist perspective by therapists, researchers, activists, and survivors, Violence in the Lives of Black Women: Battered, Black, and Blue sheds new light on an understudied field. For too long, Black women have been suffering the effects of violence in painful silence. This book—winner of the Carolyn Payton Early Career Award for its contribution to the understanding of the role of gender in the lives of Black women—provides a forum where personal testimony and academic research meet to show you how living at the intersection of many kinds of oppression shapes the lives of Black women. With moving case studies, in-depth discussions of activism and resistance, and helpful suggestions for treatment and intervention, this book will help you understand the impact of violence on the lives of Black women.

Topics you'll find in Violence in the Lives of Black Women include:

  • using the arts to deal with sexual aggression in the Black community
  • racial aspects of sexual harassment
  • the consequences of head and brain injuries stemming from abuse
  • domestic violence in African-American lesbian relationships
  • strategies Black women use to escape violent living situations
  • lifelong effects of childhood sexual abuse on Black women's mental health
  • references and resources to help you learn more!

chapter |4 pages

Introduction

part |40 pages

Overview of Violence

chapter |23 pages

Battered, Black, and Blue

An Overview of Violence in the Lives of Black Women

chapter |16 pages

Black Women and Community Violence

Trauma, Grief, and Coping

part |80 pages

Types of Violence

chapter |19 pages

Grounding Our Feet and Hearts

Black Women's Coping Strategies in Psychologically Abusive Dating Relationships

chapter |16 pages

“The Straw That Broke the Camel's Back”

African American Women's Strategies for Disengaging from Abusive Relationships

chapter |11 pages

Living at the Intersection

The Effects of Racism and Sexism on Black Rape Survivors

part |19 pages

Marginalized Populations

part |57 pages

Breaking Silence

chapter |16 pages

Talking Back

Research as an Act of Resistance and Healing for African American Women Survivors of Intimate Male Partner Violence

chapter |9 pages

“I Find Myself at Therapy's Doorstep”

Summary and Suggested Readings on Violence in the Lives of Black Women