Solving domestic violence in the Black community | Amber Robertson | TEDxLone Star College

Key Concepts

• Intimate Partner Violence (IPV)
• Violence Policy Center
• School-to-Prison Pipeline
• Stigma (related to law enforcement, mental health, domestic violence)
• Postpartum Depression
• Public Health Issue

Disproportionate Impact of Intimate Partner Violence on Black Women

Black women in America are disproportionately affected by intimate partner violence (IPV). According to the Violence Policy Center, Black women are more likely than any other group of women to be murdered by a current or former partner. These tragic deaths often occur before the age of 36, which is five years younger than the national average. Statistics reveal that 40% of Black women will face and experience domestic violence in their lifetime, compared to 30% of white women.

Societal Stigmas and Their Impact

The Black community faces unique stigmas that complicate the issue of domestic violence. Black women often feel compelled not to contact police or law enforcement due to the prevailing ideology of not "bringing the system down on Black men." This stems from the understanding that police rates for Black men are disproportionately higher than for any other race, and the "school-to-prison pipeline" is a harsh reality for young Black men.

Black men are frequently criminalized from a young age, labeled as a threat, and stereotyped. Their emotions are often taught to be a weakness, leading to stifled pain, frustration, and tears. Media portrayals often reduce them to criminals, actors, or athletes, rather than leaders or healers. Even when successful as college graduates, doctors, or community leaders, they are still questioned, paid less, and promoted less, facing skepticism like "Are you sure?" even in professional settings.

These deeply ingrained stigmas, while not excusing abuse, explain why Black women feel inclined to protect Black men and their communities.

The Burden of Protection and Entrapment

Black women often carry the burden of protecting their abusers, believing it safeguards their community from a world perceived as "set to destroy" Black men. This can lead to a profound sense of entrapment. When women file protective orders, they are often labeled "traitors." If they leave, they are seen as having "given up too easily" on the man and the family, and as not embodying the "strong woman" archetype they are taught to be. The ideology of the "two-parent household" further pressures them to stay, yet if they do, they are blamed for being "weak" or for not living up to the strength of their grandmothers.

These women navigate the stigmas of a broken home while being personally broken, constantly calculating survival, and worrying about their children's safety, even contemplating emergency room visits for their children. They are often raising families in homes "built simply on trauma."

Real-World Examples and Historical Context

The speaker highlights recent high-profile cases that have gained visibility on social media, such as those involving Cassie, Halie, and Megan Thee Stallion. Their stories went viral not because they were unique, but because they were seen and no longer swept under the rug, demonstrating that even celebrities are human women facing these issues.

The issue has a deep historical context, affecting "big mamas," "mudas," grandmothers, and matriarchs who endured similar abuse before these younger women. Many stayed due to a lack of choice, often being financially bound to men and a system that kept them in vulnerable positions. A significant statement from the speaker's upbringing was, "Never let a man keep you barefoot and pregnant because that's how they control you and that's how they keep you." This illustrates how women were trapped by systems that discarded their feelings, leading to a cycle of abuse repeated generation after generation.

Broader Public Health Implications

Domestic violence is presented not merely as a women's issue or a Black women's issue, but as a critical public health issue and an "American problem." The physical and mental toll on Black women is severe:

• 49% suffer from heart disease.
• They are twice as likely to have a stroke.
• Over 60% have high blood pressure.
• 29% to 44% face postpartum depression, with most cases going untreated.
• As of 2024, five out of every 100,000 Black women will end their life by suicide, a number that is steadily rising.

The speaker emphasizes that domestic violence is "killing our bodies."

Call to Action: Strategies for Change

The speaker calls for collective action to create change "together today, now all of us." Key strategies include:

1. Normalizing therapy and counseling: Seeking support proactively, before a crisis ensues.
2. Breaking the stigma of secrecy: Rejecting the notion that "what happens in my house stays in my house" and instead saying, "I need help and I need community."
3. Fostering dialogue and conversation: Engaging in open discussions not only in homes but also with clergy, educators, and children.
4. Empowering youth: Giving children a voice and tools from a young age to navigate difficult situations and teaching them that emotions are human.

The ultimate goal is for the current generation to "break the silence" and become the "safe space our mothers and our grandmothers and our great-grandmothers needed." The powerful concluding statement asserts, "because you because I because we we deserve peace and we deserve safety and we deserve most importantly to live."

Conclusion

The transcript delivers a powerful and urgent message about the devastating impact of intimate partner violence on Black women, exacerbated by complex societal stigmas, historical burdens, and a lack of systemic support. It meticulously details the disproportionate statistics, the unique pressures Black women face in protecting Black men, and the severe public health consequences. The call to action is clear: a collective effort is needed to normalize mental health support, dismantle secrecy, foster open dialogue across all community sectors, and empower future generations to create a culture where peace, safety, and the right to live are paramount for Black women.