Black Rage, Black Silence and Sexual Violence on sexual assault in the African American community, that intercuts between Black Muslim leader Louis Farrakhan and another male minister in the pulpit rallying a charged.
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- Child sexual abuse in the African-American community
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- What's hidden in plain sight: A look at child sexual abuse
- What's hidden in plain sight: A look at child sexual abuse
When we talk about the sex trafficking and prostitution of black girls in my high school classes there is often harsh judgment. Among this group of girls, some of whom are abuse survivors themselves, there is little sympathy for young victims of sexual assault. Turning their own trauma inward into self-blame, some believe that black girls in particular "know what they're doing". They are not fragile, indecisive and malleable like white girls, they say.
They are in control, in charge, savvy entrepreneurs in league with the much older men who rape and sell their bodies again and again. The myth of the strong, indomitable black woman is still a barrier to black girls being able to see themselves as victims, be it of intimate partner violence or sexual assault. And because the movement to eradicate sexual violence in communities of color--spearheaded by organizations like the Black Women's Blueprint , Black Women for Wellness , the Black Women's Health Imperative and Sister Song--often has so little visibility, black girls internalize the toxic narratives that white supremacy, black misogyny and organized religion have normalized.
It is a bitter lesson that Desiree Washington, and other black women survivors, struggling in communities that don't recognize their trauma and rage as legitimate, know all too well. Tap here to turn on desktop notifications to get the news sent straight to you. Such theories are highly controversial, as traditional theories typically do not consider rape to be a behavioral adaptation. Some object to such theories on ethical, religious, political as well as scientific grounds.
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Others argue that a correct knowledge of the causes of rape is necessary in order to develop effective preventive measures. There is extensive research on sexual coercion. From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Drug facilitated sexual assault. Adultery , Honor killing , and Stoning. Sociobiological theories of rape. Center for Sex Offender Management. The Psychology of the Offender. In search of respect: Personality and Individual Differences. Sexual behavior in Papua New Guinea. A Social-Interactionist Perspective,' advocates rape as an act for sexual pleasure.
An Evolutionary Psychological Perspective. Understanding and preventing violence. The New England Journal of Medicine. Drug and alcohol reviews. Addictive behaviors in women.
Totowa, NJ, Humana Press, Gender, drink and drugs. Oxford, Berg Publishers, Journal of Personality and Social Psychology. Journal of Consulting and Clinical Psychology. Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences. Understanding violence against women. J Pers Soc Psychol. Journal of Child Psychology and Psychiatry. Women, violence and social change. Adolescent sex and contraceptive experiences: International Journal of Legal Medicine.
Child sexual abuse in the African-American community
Our Bodies Are Still Trembling: Changing men in Southern Africa. Pietermaritzburg, University of Natal Press, British Journal of Criminology. Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers.
Rape in cross-cultural perspective". Psychology of Women Quarterly. Shame, secrecy, and silence: Mapping a global pandemic: University of Melbourne, Berkeley, CA, University of California. Journal of Social Issues. America Central en los noventa: Antrobus P et al. We speak for ourselves: Washington, DC, Panos Institute, African Journal of Reproductive Health. Journal of Sex Research. Australian Institute of Family Studies. Safer Sex in Personal Relationships: Thailand Archived at the Wayback Machine.. Evidence and Theoretical Implications.
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Advances in the Study of Behavior 22 Jesus told us in Luke 5: Sexual sin is at the core of the systemic problem we are facing. Unhealthy sexual behaviors are real struggles that historically have not been safe topics to talk about in church. Churches proactively tackling this issue could prevent destructive abuse before it occurs.
For example, the Barna Group reports that even though pornography use is at epidemic rates, 93 percent of pastors admitted not having adequate ministries in place to help those who are struggling. There is evidence of a link between online porn addictions and sexual crimes against women. Addressing the root of sexual brokenness is a crucial step for the Church. In response to this need, hundreds of churches across the nation are now offering programs like Pure Desire that offer help for those with issues of sexual brokenness.
Having support systems and ministries in place that address these problems is a proactive step every church should take if we are to experience a cultural shift. Acknowledging that sexual assault and sexual harassment permeate our society and that victims and possibly perpetrators of these abuses are present in your congregation is the first step in leading transformative change.
Many states across the nation are passing legislation to protect women in the workplace. Most state and federal institutions require mandatory training to prevent and respond to sexual assault and harassment issues. Every ministry should create policies and procedures to ensure the safety of each person the church serves. Often, churches safeguard children but overlook protecting women. Here are a few basic policies every church should have in place:. Staff members can provide counsel and support to churches needing to develop or enforce sexual harassment policies. If your church is working through these issues, reach out to your local leadership for assistance.
Too often the victims of sexual misconduct suffer in silence. Once you deal with a perpetrator, it is easy to neglect caring for those who now face the challenge of walking the long road toward healing. Victims of sexual crimes often feel shame and suffer from depression and isolation. Pastors should designate trusted leaders to serve as advocates so women know where to turn when they need help. How can your church provide healing for victims?
Offering a small support group is a great option for many churches. Be sure the leaders are trained and qualified to minister to sexual abuse victims. Every church should maintain a list of professional counselors to whom you can refer those needing to take that necessary step toward healing. Places like the Allender Center can also provide training for staff to help equip them to minister to those suffering from trauma. Taking care of victims is the responsibility of the Church as we seek to bring healing to the wounded. Yet the Church I love has also been a place of deep pain. I was that innocent little girl with braids who walked into Sunday School class and encountered a pedophile.
When I finally told my parents, the church elders reluctantly told the perpetrator he could no longer attend the church — sadly, a decision that was short-lived. My abuser was a well-respected man who had literally helped build the church with his bare hands. Everyone loved him and could not grasp the reality that he was capable of harming a child. After I broke the silence, other women in the church who had attended his Sunday School class came forward to share similar stories.
While the church initially asked him to leave, he soon returned, about the time my family moved to another town.
What's hidden in plain sight: A look at child sexual abuse
I read his obituary recently that stated he was a lifelong member of that church when he died. I cannot help but wonder: Were there other MeToo victims of this man in subsequent years? I lived through a ChurchToo experience and know a multitude of women who have suffered through sexual assault by men in spiritual authority. It compounds the damage when the people we turn to for help fail to act with biblical conviction and common sense. The time is now for us to act. We must model courageous leadership and stand on behalf of generations of women who are depending on the leaders in our churches to protect and care for them.
Each of us is accountable to steward this significant moment in history with wisdom. As a ministry leader and a ChurchToo survivor, I implore us to live out Proverbs For years, women have struggled to gain equality in all areas of life—from the home to the workplace, and especially in positions of leadership. These discrepancies are even larger among women of color.
Yet women of faith have historically played a pivotal role in challenging gender inequality, and they continue to defy stereotypes in politics, the workplace, and houses of worship. Here are five ways in which women of faith are fighting for gender equality at work and in broader society—empowering young women as feminist and womanist theologians, faith community leaders, social justice advocates, and elected officials.
Challenging misunderstandings or misinterpretations of religious texts that have justified segregating society along gender lines, feminist theologians have surfaced the issue of gender inequality in religious communities. Feminist Theology from Latin America. More women of faith are redefining leadership in their houses of worship, providing important role models for young congregants and pushing to transform gender inequality from within their religious traditions.
Some of the largest and most historically significant churches today are led by women, such as Amy Butler , the first woman pastor of The Riverside Church. Hasna Maznavi —founders of the first two female-run mosques in the country—have created their own communities of faith, where they saw a need for more gender-inclusive houses of worship.
What's hidden in plain sight: A look at child sexual abuse
It is imperative that women continue to take the helm of faith-based organizations and communities, so that female congregants will feel more comfortable sharing their experiences as religious women. ChurchToo gives victims a platform to share their stories of sexual abuse in religious spaces. Elected officials that practice a religion other than Christianity are grossly underrepresented in local, state, and federal levels of government. Muslim women are filling legislative positions across the country and advocating for policies to help women in their faith community and beyond: At the federal level, Sen.
Earlier in her career, she founded the Patsy T. As an Obama administration appointee, Farah Pandith was the U. Since early , the Trump administration has launched a slew of attacks on immigrants: In response to increased deportations , women of faith have called for immigrant justice in their local communities and beyond. Social justice activists such as Stosh Cotler — who helped organize a day of action for the Muslim and Jewish communities in solidarity with immigrants—were arrested at the U.
Capitol while demanding renewed protection for Dreamers. Yet faith leaders such as Nadia Murad Basee Taha are fighting to ensure the safety and success of these affected communities. The historical contributions and leadership of women in religious communities are paramount. Women faith leaders are defying the limitations that society has historically placed on them in houses of worship, politics, activism, and society more broadly. We are living in a time of breathtaking reversals. When it comes to power and privilege and voice, the laws of social and cultural gravity are being defied.
They spoke them into a microphone before a battery of media cameras and a watching world. After years of being silenced by adults more concerned about avoiding scandal and protecting a colleague and an organization, these young women emerged to voice their stories and claim the justice that for years they were denied. No, it was Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School students on the receiving end of those bullets who lost best friends and a beloved teacher and coaches.
So now a band of determined, articulate teenagers are on the warpath for change and they are getting results. Then, of course, a stunning litany of women, once bullied, threatened, and intimidated into silence, rose up to voice sexual allegations against men of enormous power and prestige. The credibility and cumulative testimonies of these women proved more effective than anyone imagined. They brought to a crashing end the ability of some of the biggest names in Hollywood, media, politics, and technology to avoid any consequences for their misbehavior. Their stories unleashed a flood of MeToo tweets bringing to light a disturbing epidemic of sexual harassment and abuse held underground for decades.
A flood of ChurchToo tweets revealed that sexual abuse happens inside the church, which ought to be a sanctuary. By going public with their stories, these women have triggered a sea change in how seriously organizations take allegations and address incidents of sexual misconduct. Contrary to romantic interpretations, the story of Ruth was a MeToo story waiting to happen. The book of Ruth records a moment in time when, against insurmountable cultural odds, a young undocumented female immigrant whose cultural status is firmly cemented in the margins, overthrows the silence, vulnerability, and powerlessness that systemic patriarchy imposes on her and finds her voice.
She refuses to allow the risk of shame and failure, or her utter powerlessness to stand in her way. Too much is at stake.
