African-American women continue to be sorely in need of an anti-rape to have this matter changed. According to the 2010 U. S. Census, 13. 6% of the population self-identified as African- American (Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel, & Drewery, 2011). African- American women reported substantial rates of criminal and sexual victimization, including rape and violence. Specifically, 18. 8% of African-American women in the National Violence Against Women Survey and 22% of African-American women in the National Intimate Partner and Sexual Violence Survey reported a lifetime rape (Rastogi, Johnson, Hoeffel, & Drewery, 2011).
These prevalence rates translate to an estimated 3. 1 million African-American rape victims. There is a substantial treaty of diversity among African- American women. Accordingly, some populations are especially vulnerable to sexual victimization, including African-American women who are low socioeconomic status, are living with HIV, and who identify as sexual minorities. For example, 67. 2% of African-American women in low socioeconomic status sample had been sexually assaulted. Approximately 54. % HIV-positive African-American women were significantly more likely to have a history of sexual assault that HIV-negative African-American omen which is about 40. 4% (West & Johnson, 2013). For the most part, sexual violence was an interracial misdemeanor. In a study, 91. 7% of African-American women were raped by African- American men (West & Johnson, 2013). Most often the perpetrator was someone known to the victim. Immediate and long-term physical and sexual health effects are associated with rape. The victim experiences bruises and black eyes.
Based on a review of African-American rape victim’s medical charts, 26. 3% of the cervix and 13% of both posterior fourchette and labia minor were the most common injury location. In addition, sexual assault can compromise the long- erm sexual health of the victims. Compared to non victims, African-American women who had been sexually abused in the past year were 4. 5 times more likely to have positive test for Human Papillomavirus (Baker et al. , 2010). This pattern of risky sexual behavior may account for the association between sexual assault and future sexually transmitted infections.
Furthermore, sexual violence can negatively impact the long- term mental health functioning of the victim. Approximately 89. 5% of African-American women reported that they had sustained emotional or psychological injuries as a result of rape (West & Johnson, 2013). African-American women who had experienced multiple forms of sexual victimization, such as rape and sexual harassment were susceptible to suicidal, depression, and pain-related health problems, including back pain and fatigue. Researchers West & Johnson (2013), discovered a link between the endorsement of stereotypes and self esteem.
African-American women who endorsed beliefs such as “people think African-American women are sexually loose” reported more victim-blaming. This attitude explained the relation to lower levels of self-esteem. In the Philippines, numerous cases of violence against Filipino omen often go unreported due to the sensitivity of the issues and its impact on women and their families. According to the Philippines National Police (2005), a total of 1,100 to 7,383 cases of violence against women from 1996 to 2004. The highest record was in 2001 at 10, 343 cases including rape and violence.
In comparison, African-American reported higher rates of overall violence; in African-American violence was 169 per 1,000 (West & Johnson, 2013) compared with the highest record for Filipino women. Women who are multiracial or African- American in particular are more likely to report violence. Clearly, African-American women population experience far more violence than Filipino women. The cultural context within which Filipino women have been defined is embedded in a patriarchal system. Gender and female sexuality are defined by the dominant social group through a socialization process mediated by family, church and community.
In practice, this has come to mean female subordination and male dominance. In our tradition, the husband is expected to be responsible for the financial sustenance of the family and the wife takes care of the budget of the family. Today, my country, Philippines is predominantly Catholic, so personal and community values reflect the teachings of the church, which is male-dominated and male- centered. The value placed on virginity until holy matrimony and sex only for reproduction, reflect the Roman Catholic upbringing of most Filipinos.
The husband is head of the household with absolute authority over his wife and children. The father’s word is law and his bearing cannot be interrogated. All these values have consequences for women who experience violence and sexual assault. For example, the unwillingness to disclose rape and the susceptibility in unjustifiable violent relationships even f Filipino women lives are at risk. They also partly explain in the fearfulness and humiliation that overwhelm victim of these illegal acts. In addition, sex in my culture is a taboo topic.
The sensitive pieces of the body are not to be talked about. There are no particular words allocated to some of these parts of the body, as well as some sexual bearings. When speaking about sexual intercourse, Filipinos utilize indirect words as alternatives. As a comparison to my own culture, African-American women love their sons and raise their daughters like the old saying in the African-American community. In this country, African- American women had come to the support of African-American men who were falsely being accused of sexual assault. Rape is one of the most underreported violent crimes.
African-American women are the least probable to break the silence (Polland- Terry, 2004). African-American are less likely to report when violent crimes happen and keep it to themselves. They are expected to protect, not expose, the black community that is their culture makes them less likely to report the incidence. Protectiveness runs deep in numerous African-American community. Reflection Violence against women occurs when the human rights of omen are violated, such as when women are physically injured, raped, and forced to provide services against their will.
When women are trapped in violent marriages, abused, and overly under the control of their husbands, that consider a violence against women. I feel like the differences found in these cultural factors as mentioned above effects of socioeconomic variables, such as neighborhood disadvantage and low education and employment status, particularly for the perpetrators of violence against Filipino and African-American women. In addition, racial discrimination towards African- American men may lead to lessen access to resources and ircumstances, causing tension and violence among African- American men.
As an opinion, community and cultural context of violence between cultures especially African-American men have adopted alternative ways of utilizing their “manhood” because the traditional methods have been unreachable for them-establishing manhood includes violence. Every day violence that is seen as “not serious”: harassing girls in the street because of what she is wearing. Men can stop violence by expanding their minds regarding what violence looks like and be ethical. Sexuality education can contribute an appropriate factor or educating individuals especially students about sexual violence.
As an example, differentiating between “good” and “bad” touch, learning how to express feelings, and to ask for help are all key components of sexuality education that are highly relevant to violence. Violence is a major public health issue throughout the world, especially among African-American women. I chose to write about violence against African-American because of what I see in today’s society providing an excellent example of how power and cultural forces can corrupt. This has been difficult for me to witness, and has highlighted on a broader level that numerous arriers women face in their quest for equality.
It makes me feel like violence against women is only a major problem in our society if it makes powerful men look substandard their career expectations. Violence is associated with certain behaviors and part of our culture. This means that it is still part of, rape, rape jokes, and street persecution. Furthermore, the experiences of the violence growing up plays a major role, yet so does a culture that continually blames the victim. Personally, I think women are physically and sexually violated by men because of the decisions certain men make, and the cultural powers that nable this kind of violence to run uncontrolled.
The role of culture and power is substantially obvious when evaluated through the lens of race. When examining violence through the lens of race, it becomes evident that non-white individuals are most likely to experience violence than other race. Particularly, African-American women experience high rates of violence. What becomes clear to me is that women do not gain power through passively acquiring the existing state of matters. The powers that be are influenced to accept violence against women especially African-American women through minimization of its effects.
