We Hear You

The discussion around sexual assault has many intersectional components and one of the most important is the impact of race. Joining us to talk about the way that the issues of race and sexual assault are related and most notably the results of this relationship, is the wonderful My'Lasia Brown! My'Lasia gives us some background to her work with Harambe, looking at her academic qualifications and the types of cases she has dealt with in her work. We look at a wide selection of examples of sexual and physical assault and our guest offers some great perspective on the sometimes surprising statistics and realities of what it means to be a black woman reporting a crime. She also talks about cases involving same-sex relationships and the added layer of the variety of sexual identities and orientations in violent and abusive crimes. My'Lasia very articulately lays out one of the foremost dilemmas facing black women in abusive relationships; who can be called to help when law enforcement has proven to also be a danger to the black community? This leaves a survivor effectively having to choose between being a woman and being black and our guest unpacks how challenging this path can be. We also talk about the issue of being believed, victim-blaming, and the progress that still needs to be made in our education around these issues. This is a powerful and pertinent conversation that you are not going to want to miss, be sure to tune in with us!
 

Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Harambe Social Services

Harambe Phone Number — 609-225-6936

BuzzSprout 

Stockton College

Governor Murphy

Suicide Prevention Hotline — 1-800-273-TALK

Domestic Violence Hotline— 1-800-799-7233

Harambe Social Service on Facebook

Harambe Social Service on Instagram

The history of violence against Black women in America leads all the way back to forced arrivals and the slave trade. From these terrible beginnings, we see the clear links between white supremacy, institutional racism, gender inequality, and the constant failure of law enforcement. Here on the show today to unpack the subject and share her experiences working to support survivors of domestic violence and abuse is the one and only Sumayya Coleman! We start off our discussion looking back at Sumayya's career before she unpacks her thoughts on the legacy of slavery and racial oppression in the US. This leads to some thoughts on what is now called safety planning and Sumayya explains how this idea is as old as the presence of Black people in America. The reality for so many women of color in this country is that the police do not offer safety and a solution to the threats they have to face, and Sumayya shares some of the ways she goes about analyzing these failings and the resources that keep her on track with her work. We also get into the types of attitudes that are common towards law enforcement and we look at the example of the Marissa Alexander case and what that teaches us about the price of surviving. The conversation also covers Second Amendment rights, access to information, and why we need more black women to be hired to help with domestic violence cases. We hope this episode can serve as some solace and provide hope for a better future. Join us to hear it all.



Links Mentioned in Today’s Episode:

Harambe Social Services

Harambe Phone Number — 609-225-6936

BuzzSprout

Sumayya Coleman on LinkedIn

Sumayya Coleman on Twitter

Women of Color Network

African-American Black Women’s Cultural Alliance

Breonna Taylor

Policing the Poor: From Slave Plantation to Public Housing

Neil Websdale

Beth Richie

Arrested Justice: Black Women, Violence, and America’s Prison Nation

George Floyd

Marissa Alexander

George Zimmerman

Rose Williams

Suicide Prevention Hotline — 1-800-273-TALK

Domestic Violence Hotline— 1-800-799-7233

Harambe Social Service on Facebook

Harambe Social Service on Instagram 

Due to a series of historic and social factors, the African-American community has a high incidence of domestic violence, a situation that is exacerbated by the oppressive systems that have drawn global attention over the last few months. There are many reasons why African-American women are three times more likely to be murdered by an intimate partner, not least of which their tendency not to report incidents for fear of subjecting their partners to police brutality. Perhaps surprisingly, women in the church are not exempt from these obstacles when deciding to speak up. They experience shame and guilt for exposing their partners, they are often encouraged to stay silent by family members, the church itself – as a patriarchal institution – fails to acknowledge domestic violence, and when they do come forward, the abuse is often spiritualized or dismissed because of ill-equipped clergy. This is where our guest on the show today, Dr. Selina Carter, comes in. Dr. Carter is the founder and executive director of Spirit of Excellence, a nonprofit organization for teen girls and women. She is a renowned trainer who facilities workshops on dealing with domestic violence, with a special focus on the African-American community. In this episode, she talks to listeners about her own journey as a victim of abuse, the need for greater awareness and education in the church, why so many women risk their lives by keeping quiet, and what can be done to empower men, women, and communities.

Dr. Selina Carter 

Spirit of Excellence

Spirit of Excellence Programs

Rose Williams 

Harambe Social Services

Harambe Social Services on Facebook

Harambe Social Services on Instagram

Harambe Counseling Services — 609-225-6936

Domestic Violence Hotline — 1-800-799-7233

Suicide Prevention Hotline — 1-800-273-TALK 

Domestic abuse has many ugly faces, and the array of strategies for tackling and preventing these issues are all worth pursuing. Here on the show today to talk about her experiences of domestic abuse, working in the field with survivors, and areas that could do with more attention, is Cristina Cordoba. We hear from Cristina about her background and how her work in marketing and communications was applicable to finding a meaningful job in the social workspace. Cristina talks about primary prevention and intervention and makes a special note about the importance of prevention; for Cristina, we should be focussing on stopping issues occurring before they do. This means education and cultural shifts, approaching the problem from a number of directions and not exclusively aiming at the actions of young women. Cristina talks about changing norms and what this means for our interactions with young boys and men, and how we can go about widening horizons and minimizing violence. We also give some time to the issue of emotional abuse, something that is often hidden beneath the more obvious physical harms that occur. Cristina explains the cycle of gaslighting and the long-term damages that can be done to someone when their sanity and self-esteem are challenged on an ongoing basis. We also discuss secrecy, isolation, and the best ways to support someone in an abusive situation, as all types of help or advice are not advisable. Join us for this informative and hopeful conversation with Cristina, and make sure to look out for our next episode too!

TIMESTAMP INITIALS
Harambe Social Services

BuzzSprout

Suicide Prevention Hotline — 1-800-273-TALK

Domestic Violence Hotline— 1-800-799-7233

Cristina Cordoba

Rhode Island Coalition Against Domestic Violence

The Mask You Live In

Ingrid Bergman

Charles Boyer

Alfred Hitchcock

Rose Williams

Harambe Social Service on Facebook

Harambe Social Service on Instagram