Domestic violence by an intimate partner is one of the leading killers of black women between the ages of 15 to 24, and occurs on all socioeconomic levels.
According to The Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community, blackwomen experienced 35 percent more violence from an intimate partner than white women.
Black Americans already account for 33 percent of all homicides in America and black women account for 23 percent out of the 33 percent.
According to The Institute on Domestic Violence, pop singer, Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty was recently in a physical altercation with boyfriend Chris Brown. Fenty did not call the police when Brown allegedly attacked her, like most domestic violence altercations, a witness called the police.
The Black Women’s Health Statistics said there are four reasons why it is normal for most black women not to report physical abuse and remain with their attacker: First, black women have fewer options when looking for a mate compared to white women (many black men are incarcerated, gay, married, etc.). Secondly, on average, black women make less money than white women. Thirdly, black women are reluctant to call the police because they see the racial injustice in the criminal justice system. Lastly, there are not enough social programs for domestic violence, like women’s shelters and hotlines.
For various hip-hop artists the assumption that a woman is cheating pacifies or appeases the domestic abuse. Like R-Kelly’s series of videos with Mr. Biggs for the song entitled “Down Low,” is based on a woman who cheated on her husband, got caught and ultimately suffered a physical beating that left her dying in the hospital. These types of videos give countless people in the black community justification as to why it would be okay to hit a woman.
According to the Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Allowance, three million children witness domestic violence in the home each year. As a child, Brown witnessed his stepfather physically abuse his mother and repeated the behavior as an adult.
There are abusive notions in videos, music lyrics, television and movies that have assisted in the rise in domestic violence in the black community. Domestic violence by an intimate partner is the highest in black women than any other race. Although this behavior can come from explicit music, videos, movies and television, it all begins at home. Parents should be conscience of what they do around their children because they never know how it can affect them in the long run.
Ashley Palmer is a senior public relations student from Fort Lauderdale. She can be reached at famuanopinions@gmail.com.
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