Portraits of Domestic Violence Portraits of Domestic Violence

A REPORT SUBMITTED TO BLUE SHIELD OF CALIFORNIA FOUNDATION BY JEMMOTT ROLLINS GROUP OCTOBER 2018 Portraits of Domestic Violence Portraits of Domestic Violence Funding for this project was provided by Blue Shield of California Foundation, Blue Shield Against Violence Blue Shield is committed to build lasting solutions to end domestic violence and make California the healthiest State, especially for our most vulnerable neighbors 2 Portraits of Domestic Violence Foreward 4 Table of About This Report 6 Contents Methodological Approach 7 Executive Summary 8 Core Findings 9 The Stories in Context 10 Escaping Abuse: The Stories of Survivors 12 Experiences of Men 17 Interactions With the DV System 20 Solutions From Survivors 26 Recommendations 30 About Us 33 Appendix 36 Interview Guide 3 Foreward Deborah Prothrow-Stith, M.D. n this report to the Blue Shield of lack of social support and finan- tations for Black women (and men) California Foundation, Portraits cial instability. in domestic violence relationships. Dean, College of Medicine Iof Domestic Violence: The Afri- Reporting intimate partner violence Charles R Drew University of can American Experience, Jemmott An understanding of factors requires trust in those receiving Medicine and Science Rollins Group (JRG) presents a vivid that contextually contribute to the reports and in their capacity to Los Angeles, California qualitative portrayal of 15 women DV including financial difficulties, respond appropriately. Portraits of and men and their experiences with alcohol and other drug use, toxic African American survivors touches domestic violence. Based upon indi- masculinity, trauma. upon the complexity of serving men vidual interviews with each partici- and amplifying their voices in our pant, all of whom self-identified as Women make up 85 percent of the efforts to end domestic violence; Black and as a survivor of domestic victims of domestic violence and while many are perpetrators, we violence, the report not only tells each Black women are disproportionately know less about them and those that story, but it also reflects on the inter- affected compared to their white are victims are hidden behind the actions with the support services and counterparts. African American faces that shape our perceptions. resources. It provides and illustration women report domestic violence of the ways gender, race and ethnicity rates that are 35 to 50 percent The #MeToo movement, which was impact on the connections to and higher than white women. African started by a Black woman, has helped benefits from such services. American women also use available to create a context for understand- support services and resources at a ing the abuse spectrum from sexual The people interviewed for this lower rate than other women, cre- harassment and sexual assault to the report shared similar experiences ating a dilemma for service provid- power and control issues that consti- with most other domestic violence ers. This report sheds light on that tute domestic violence. Black survi- survivors. Specifically: dilemma and affords significant vors as a group may benefit from this, insight into what service providers not only from the general increase in Experiences with violence in might begin to do to address this consciousness and awareness, but their childhood homes causing disparity. This includes making from the growing understanding that difficulty with identifying DV as time to listen, being respectful and existing services are not meeting their a problem in their adult relation- providing culturally competent needs. The staggering number of ships. responses. An understanding of the people who responded to the #MeToo historical, complicated and diffi- movement also underscores the depth Barriers to leaving relation- cult relationship between the Black of our societal and cultural problem, ships characterized by DV in- community and policing also has to and the inadequacy of our respons- clude concerns for their children, inform recommendations and expec- es to one of the most devastating 4 Foreward aspects of that problem, domestic believed - and worse - criminally authority. And until very recently, that often traumatize rather than violence. The response also demon- punished for defending themselves. most countries offered little to no help; they want those responsible strates the degree to which sexual In a Florida case, survivor Maris- legal protection from domestic to insure adequate housing for all assault and domestic violence go un- sa Alexander’s lawyer put forth a violence, treating it as a private of California’s diverse populations, reported, and this report shines some “stand your ground” self-defense matter within the home. The testi- with culturally appropriate ser- light on why this is so, particularly for to her firing a warning shot at her mony of the survivors in this report vices close to that housing. They Black women. abuser. That defense was rejected. reveal the toll domestic violence need health clinics to appropriately Alexander was sentenced to 20 takes on mental, physical, emotion- diagnose and tend to their deepest Two recent high profile examples years in prison in 2012 in the state al, and social health. Its devastation wounds, not simply to treat the illustrate and potentially influence that exonerated the killer of young is intergenerational, cutting across superficial evidence of the stress- how African American and other Treyvon Martin who also used the race, class and geography and, not ors they endure. They want to be women perceive societal support “stand your ground” defense. (She surprisingly, Black women bear an heard. They need friends and family for the plight of survivors of do- was released last year under a plea outsized burden. These clear, heart- to show up for them; for bystand- mestic violence. When viewed deal that required her to plead breaking stories of violence and the ers to stand up and make perpetra- through the lens of Black women, guilty to aggravated assault and insufficient, ineffective and often tors hear that others care; they need the response to Dr. Christine Bla- remain under house arrest for two punitive responses to the victims communities to lift up their plight sey Ford’s credible Congressional years.) California’s prisons hold vic- seeking help demand change. and stop asking what the victim did testimony about a teenage sexual tims of domestic violence who fight wrong; they need to roll back the assault by a now powerful man back, sending a very clear message The stories behind these por- rugs and end our collective sweep- reinforced their collective weariness that the protection of Black wom- traits compel us - their families, ing their plight under those rugs. with reporting sexual assault to en is not the mission of the justice neighbors, communities and pol- Theirs is the universal call for equity authorities. The lesson learned is system. The stigma, further victim- icy makers- to better understand and justice, with the expectation that there is no benefit to reporting ization, condemnation and backlash and respond to their plight. These that peace and security will exist in sexual assaults. If upper class, pro- are an all too familiar nightmare survivors are not asking for more their everyday lives. fessional and well-educated white to domestic violence victims who criminal justice interventions; they women are not believed and then expose themselves, their children seek justice in obtaining services Now that we know better we must further assaulted by “the system,” and other family members when that address their real needs and do better. what chance does an African Amer- seeking assistance. equitable resources in their com- ican poor or working class woman munities to support their partners, have? Even when the perpetrator Domestic violence is not a new phe- children and other survivors. They is also African American with a his- nomenon in our society. For centu- are not asking to be isolated and tory of abusing his partner, African ries, “wife beating” was considered driven deeper into poverty, poorer American women are frequently not an accepted exercise of a husband’s health status and toward services 5 About This Report With the support of Center the lived experiences of Through its Blue Shield Against survivors and take account of the Violence Initiatives, the Foundation Blue Shield of California impact of domestic violence on their has led the state of California in Foundation, Jemmott lives, families and communities. working to address, prevent and Rollins Group (JRG) ultimately, end domestic violence. Reveal experiences and In its mission to serve California’s embarked on a qualitative challenges Black survivors face in most vulnerable populations, study of experiences and seeking support. the Foundation and its partners recognize a need to improve the challenges faced by Black Generate recommendations systems which serve Black domestic survivors of domestic to improve the DV systems-of- violence survivors, their families violence (DV) in California. care, based on the strengths and communities. As a partner to and weaknesses of the current Blue Shield’s efforts, JRG is proud This work is the second infrastructure. to present these findings and in a two-part research recommendations towards our Uncover culturally competent shared mission of a more just and series which seeks to models to serve Black families and safe California. consider holistically the communities impacted by domestic violence. perspectives

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