Black and Battered-Domestic Violence

October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month, and throughout this month I will be blogging about this issue, while highlighting the disparities between race and gender, and promoting a clear message of intolerance.

Every 9 seconds a woman in the United States is beaten or assaulted.

20,000 phone calls are made daily to domestic violence hotlines.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, Domestic violence is described as “the willful intimidation, physical assault, battery, sexual assault, and/or other abusive behavior as part of a systematic pattern of power and control perpetrated by one intimate partner against another.” Domestic violence includes physical and sexual violence along with threats, and emotional abuse.

Domestic violence is also known as Intimate Partner Violence.

Domestic or intimate partner violence unfortunately occurs in relationships whether you are single, married, or dating. Whether you are in a heterosexual relationship, or in a same sex relationship.

Domestic violence does not discriminate when it comes to race, religion, class, profession, or political affiliation. Domestic violence can happen to anyone, anywhere.

1 in 3 women and 1 in 10 men will experience domestic violence in their lifetime.

Each year, domestic violence is estimated to affect 10 million people in the United States. Black women, are three times at risk of experiencing death by domestic violence than any other racial group in America.

Domestic violence murders are among the leading causes of death of black women ages 15 to 35 years old. 

The National Center for Victims of Crime found that 53.8% of Black women had experienced psychological abuse, and 41.2% had experienced physical abuse.

Black women are 2.5 times more likely to be murdered than white women. 92% of Black women killed knew the person that killed them; and 56% of those homicides were committed by a current or former intimate partner. 

According to the CDC, Black women between the ages of 25-29 years old are 11 times more likely as White women in the same age group, to be murdered while pregnant or within the first year after giving birth.

The vast majority of homicides of Black women are not related to any other felony crime but were killed in the course of an argument; at least half were as a result of domestic violence. 52 percent were married to their murderers, common-law wives, ex-wives, or girlfriends.

Gun violence plays a predominant role in homicides among Black women. Compared to other racial groups, Black women are more likely to be killed by firearms.

Domestic Violence is no No Joke. Domestic violence is never ok. Abuse is not a sign of love. Stalking and Jealousy are not signs of love.

Love does not hurt.

The abuse usually gets worse over time. You cannot fix an abusive person. Stop waiting for an abusive person to change. Domestic violence in the home is detrimental to the wellbeing of children.

Children who live in homes where there is domestic violence, are at risk of repeating the cycle as adults, either by entering into abusive relationships or becoming an abuser. Stop the cycle.

If you or a loved one are a victim of domestic violence, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233

For more on this blog post, listen to my podcast: Dr. Tamaru Speaks, available on all popular outlets. Or Click the link below.

https://www.spreaker.com/episode/41297355

National Domestic Violence Hotline

1-800-799-SAFE
1-800-799-7233
Staff provide callers with crisis intervention, information about domestic violence, and referrals to local programs 24/7. Telephone assistance is available in many languages, including Spanish.

Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network (RAINN)

1-800-656-HOPE
1-800-656-4673
The network is the nation’s largest anti-sexual assault organization and operates the National Sexual Assault Hotline.

National Teen Dating Abuse Helpline

1-866-331-9474
A community where you can find support and information to understand dating abuse. You can talk one-on-one with a trained advocate 24/7 who can offer support and connect you to resources.