Minority Women's Health

E-mail this page to a friend

Violence

Minority Women's Health > African Americans > Health Topics > Violence

Violence affects women from all backgrounds. Violence can have terrible and costly results for everyone involved, including families, communities, and society. Violence can take many forms including domestic or intimate partner violence, sexual assault and abuse, dating violence, and elder abuse. Learn more about the different types of violence in our Violence Against Women section.

According to the National Violence Against Women survey, almost one out of every three African American females has been subject to intimate partner violence. Intimate partner violence includes rape, physical assault, or stalking.

If you have been hurt by someone, keep in mind, it is not your fault. You did not cause the abuse to occur, and you are not responsible for the violent behavior of someone else.

Publications

1.   Violence Against Women — Too many women suffer violence at the hands of someone close to them. This Web page provides abused women and their loved ones with resources and information they can use to get help. It also gives information about different types of abuse, including domestic violence, sexual abuse and assault, dating violence, and elder abuse. Look for help near you with this list of state anti-violence programs.

   http://www.womenshealth.gov/violence/

2.   State Sexual Assault Coalitions — This publication offers a list of addresses, phone numbers, and fax numbers of coalitions across the country that help with domestic violence.

   http://www.ovw.usdoj.gov/statesexual.htm

3.     Understanding Intimate Partner Violence — This fact sheet provides statistical information on the number of women who are victims of intimate partner violence (IPV), characteristics of the most common victims and perpetrators of IPV, and the effects it can have on a person and society as a whole.

   http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/dvp/ipv_factsheet.pdf

4.     Understanding Sexual Violence — This fact sheet discusses the prevalence and incidence of sexual violence, the associated risk factors, and consequences. It also provides some strategies for trying to prevent sexual violence.

   http://www.cdc.gov/ncipc/pub-res/images/SV%20Factsheet.pdf

5. Are You Being Abused? (Copyright © American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists) — This simple true-false quiz helps victims and those who care about them identify the signs of abuse. It encourages victims to seek assistance and gives phone numbers to call for help.

   http://www.acog.org/from_home/departments/dept_notice.cfm?recno=17&bulletin=198

6. Domestic Violence: Protecting Yourself and Your Children (Copyright © American Academy of Family Physicians) — This fact sheet provides information on how to protect yourself and your children from domestic violence and where to go to get help, and includes other important facts you should know about domestic violence.

   http://familydoctor.org/online/famdocen/home/healthy/safety/kids-family/052.html

7.   Sexual Violence Awareness Fact Sheet — African-American/Black Women (Copyright © Virginia Sexual and Domestic Violence Action Alliance) — This brochure discusses stereotypes, racism, and barriers surrounding sexual violence against African-American women. It also provides a list of resources.

   http://www.vadv.org/secPublications/svfsaa.pdf

Organizations

1.   Office of Minority Health, OPHS, OS, HHS
2.   Office on Violence Against Women, U.S. Department of Justice
3. Institute on Domestic Violence in the African American Community
4. National Center for Victims of Crime
5. National Domestic Violence Hotline
6. Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network

= Indicates Federal Resources

Resources reviewed March 2008.