Domestic Violence, HIV, and the Black Church: Finding Solutions to Enhance the Health and Safety of Women

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Domestic Violence, HIV, and the Black Church
Finding Solutions to Enhance the Health and
Safety of Women

• Tricia B. Bent-Goodley, Ph.D., LICSW
• Associate Professor
• Howard University School of Social Work
• Washington Area Womens Foundation
• Stepping Stones Research Briefing
• The Urban Institute, Washington, D.C.
• May 16, 2008

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Purpose

• This presentation will present findings from a
  study conducted on the need for Black churches to
  strengthen their efforts in keeping women safe
  from abuse using a culturally competent approach.
• The goal of the Faith-Based Community Response to
  Domestic Violence (FBCDV) was to create a
  training, public information and community
  awareness campaign, within diverse African
  American faith-based communities, to combat
  domestic violence.
• This research was funded by the Department of
  Health and Human Services, Office of Community
  Services, Award 90EV0202/01

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African Americans Domestic Violence

• Cited as the number one public health issue for
  African American women (Joseph, 1997)
• African Americans experience......
• more serious and lethal injuries (Tjaden
  Thoennes, 2000)
• higher victimization rates (Tjaden Thoennes,
  2000)
• higher connection with HIV-infection among
  African American women (Bent-Goodley, 2007)
• higher connection with rates of childhood sexual
  abuse (Wyatt, et al, 2000)
• higher rates of child removal rates due to
  domestic violence (Bent-Goodley Brade, 2007)

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Connection Between HIV and Domestic Violence

• Womens vulnerability is enhanced because of
• High rates of sexual and domestic violence
• Lack of power and financial independence
• Lack of decision-making power in accessing and
  adhering to treatment
• Fear of stigma and discrimination
• The cost of services and drugs
• Geographic inaccessibility of services
• Gender norms and systemic inequalities
• (Bent-Goodley, 2007 Campbell, 2002 Fullilove,
  et al., 1993 Maman, et al., 2000 Wyatt, et al.,
  2002 Wu, El-Bassel, et al., 2003)

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Barriers to Service

• Lack of cultural competence (Hampton Hung,
  1996 Gondolf Williams, 2001)
• Impact of racism discrimination (Richie, 1996
  Williams, 2001)
• Impact of myths and stereotyping (Hampton Yung,
  1996 West, 1999)
• Racial loyalty (Bent-Goodley, 2001)

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Importance of Religion

• Survivors often turn to their faith-based
  community for support, guidance, and safety
  (Adams Fortune, 1995 McClure Ramsay, 1997
  West, 1999).
• Women of color often turn to their faith-based
  communities before mental health, social service,
  and medical providers (Bent-Goodley, 2001 West,
  1999).

• Spirituality can be defined as the sense of the
  sacred and divine (Martin Martin, 2002, p. 1).
• Religion focuses on an external expression of
  faith (Bent-Goodley, under review).
• Most denominations of official policies on
  domestic violence (Ammons, 1999)

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Methodology

• Pre and Post Test Survey
• 122 participants
• 62 women 38 men
• Focus Groups
• 41 participants

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Key Themes

• Key Themes
• Questions about why women stay
• The role of spirituality and use of prayer
• The interpretation of scripture
• Interaction between DV and addiction
• Specific examples of church intervention
• Fear, shame, embarrassment, gossip
• Too focused on criminal justice response
• Discussion about when men experience abuse
• Discussion of Male codes of conduct

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Implications for Practice

• Comfort with religion spirituality
• Honesty with knowledge or lack of knowledge about
  the Bible
• Diligent Flexible Unstructured
• Multiple forms of communication
• Listen and learn and bring REAL food
• You cannot just know DV - you need to understand
  the African American experience

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Research Implications

• Mens experiences with domestic violence
• Spirituality and domestic violence
• Diverse religious responses and experiences
• Church and community interaction
• Training of clergy
• The structure of research

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Conclusion

• The church is a fertile ground to help end abuse
• We can reach African Americans through churches
• There is a willingness to partner but to engage
  in true partnership
• We are needed in this arena