• Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty News
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
  • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love & Sex
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle News
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your legacy1
  • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence

Follow Us

Skip to content
  • Essence Studios
  • Girls United
  • NaturallyCurly
  • Shop Essence
  • Celebrity
    • Celebrity
    • Celebrity News
    • ‘Yes, Girl!’ Podcast
    • Entertainment
    • Black Women in Music
    • Black Celeb Couples
    • Celebrity Moms
    • Red Carpet
  • Fashion
    • Fashion
    • Fashion News
    • Street Style
    • Accessories
    • Fashion House
    • Fashion Week
  • Beauty
    • Beauty
    • Skin
    • Makeup
    • Color Files Podcast
    • Nails
    • How-To
    • AVEENO® Skin Health Startup Accelerator
    • Beauty Carnival-Archive
    • Dope Stuff On My Desk
    • Girls United: Beautiful Possibilities
    • Beauty News
  • Hair
    • Hair
    • Hair News
    • Natural
    • Relaxed
    • Transitioning
    • Weaves
    • 4C
    • Spring Hair And Beauty
  • Love
    • Love
    • Love & Sex News
    • The Solve Podcast
    • Weddings
    • Parenting
    • Relationships
  • Lifestyle
    • Lifestyle
    • Coronavirus: Everything You Need to Know
    • Health & Wellness
    • Lifestyle News
    • Holiday Gift Guide 2020
    • Netflix’s Jingle Jangle Gift Guide
    • Unbossed Podcast
    • ESSENCE Eats
    • Money & Career
    • Entrepreneurship
    • Travel
    • Food & Drink
    • Black Travel Guide
    • Currency Conversations
    • Your Legacy
  • News
    • News
    • BLACK VOTES MATTER
    • Essence 50th Anniversary
    • Latest News
    • Raise Your Voice
    • Culture
    • Politics
  • Videos
  • Events
    • Events
    • WELLNESS HOUSE: YEAR OF RENEWAL
    • LEVEL UP: Entrepreneur Summit (DEC 2020)
    • Power Tools
    • SHE GOT NOW
    • Girls United Summit
    • Making Moves Now: Virtual Bootcamp
    • #EF SESSIONS
    • Dear Black Men
    • Cares Act
    • News & Announcements
  • Festival
  • Subscribe
Home · News

Real Women Talk About Domestic Violence

Real Women Talk About Domestic Violence
By · March 12, 2009October 29, 2020
01
Real Women Speak Out

The Chris Brown and Rihanna incident has sparked heated discussions about domestic violence in Black America. The conversation has made us think hard about what needs to be done. Listen to these statistics: African-Americans account for approximately 40 percent of the domestic violence cases reported nationally, according to the New York State Office for the Prevention of Domestic Violence.

There are no wrong answers when it comes to finding solutions about this burning issue. ESSENCE.com hit the streets to hear what Black women are saying about how to end the silence of abuse now.

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

Reported by Porsche Slocum and Jenisha Watts

02
Rosalind Bracey

Age: 59
City: New York, New York

“First, we have to stop being ashamed of it. It happens and there’s a saying that we teach people how to treat us. Women need to know about support groups for abused victims. And women need to stop being ashamed."

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

03
Erinn Johnson

Age: 27
City: Hoboken, New Jersey

“Mothers and fathers need to let their daughters know, it’s not okay for a man to hit you. And they need to let sons know that they shouldn’t hit a woman.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

04
Leslie Swain

Age: 32
City: Queens, New York

We need to educate young girls. The younger we get to them, the better. We need to take more of an initiative to help people that we know are being abused. We need programs in schools and summer camps—wherever there is more of a concentration of young people. Once they get to a certain age, it’s too late. But if you can get to children early enough, then that’s a good thing.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

05
Michelle Nelson

Age: 50
City: Jersey City, New Jersey

“It boils down to us mothers talking to our young girls; making them understand; and showing them statistics; taking them to battered shelters; and letting them listen to some of those stories. We need to make them understand the realism of it and how important it is to free themselves from that type of violence.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

06
Natasha Inniss

Age: 28
City: Brooklyn

“Black women should not tolerate abuse! Domestic violence is like every other violence. There’s support groups for gang violence, AIDS—all these things can lead to death. There’s no support group, as far as I know, that gives the person being abused enough confidence to leave. We need groups to support the people that are going through this, to tell them that they don’t have to stay in that type of environment.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

07
Devorn Hannah

Age: 22
City: Chicago

“We need to start being more aware and being more concerned about this issue. If we see a friend or a family member and we see something is not going right, then we need to address it, because sometimes people believe that door is closed. Sometimes the abused person doesn’t want people to come into their private life. We need to create more dialogue about the issue so people won’t feel like they can’t talk about it. If something happens, you will regret not saying anything.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

08
Kenya Pierre

Age: 36
City: Jersey City, New Jersey

“We should talk more about the issue and be more sensitive to the issue. Other than talking about it, I don’t see any other way. We need to teach women to see that it’s wrong.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

09
Lydia Dalley

Age: 50
City: Harlem, New York

“I think we should come together as Black women. Older women should share the wisdom with the younger generation. Hopefully that support team will help generations down the line. We as a community should come together and speak to younger women. These kids nowadays really need to have some guidance.”

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

10
Lea Dalley

Age: 21
City: Chicago

“We need to have a support team among ourselves instead of support from a man."

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

11
Aisha Samad

Age: 24
City: Bronx, New York

“All women should speak up! If they are afraid of their husband, they should be able to call a hotline. Hotlines will help. The numbers should be placed everywhere: trains, buses—anywhere that is visible.”

(For more information about how to get help, contact the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1800-799-SAFE)

ATL ‘Housewives’ Lisa and NeNe on surviving domestic violence »

Help end abuse against women »

Read More

Entertainment
Cherie Jones Explores Race, Class, And Domestic Violence In ...
Entertainment
How Demetria L. Lucas Went From Columnist To Screenwriter An...
Entertainment
Naturi Naughton Tapped To Star in ABC’s ‘Queens’
Food & Drinks
Ayesha Curry Went Dairy Free For Her Son, Now Her Entire Fam...
Fashion
New Balance Unveils New Collection For Black History Month
COMPANY INFORMATION
  • Our Company
  • Customer Service
  • Essence Ventures
  • Change Your Address
  • Contact Us
  • Job Opportunities
  • Internships
  • Media Kit
  • tag
SUBSCRIBE
  • Newsletters
  • Give a Gift of ESSENCE
  • Magazine Tablet Edition
FOLLOW US
MORE ON ESSENCE
  • Home
  • Love
  • Celebrity
  • Beauty
  • Hair
  • Fashion
  • ESSENCE festival

ESSENCE.com is part of ESSENCE Communications, Inc.

Essence may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice.

©2021 ESSENCE Communications Inc. All Rights Reserved. | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Essence.com Advertising Terms

Get The ESSENCE Newsletter and
Special Offers delivered to your inbox

By clicking Sign Up, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.

Get The ESSENCE Magazine
by subscribing below
subscribe now