We continue to hail Sistah Space for galvanising the community to reach 100,000 signatures in their Valerie’s Law petition (https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/578416).  It is a fine example that this type of initiative can succeed when it comes out of love and sincerity for our community.

But as Sis. Ngozi Fulani, founder and CEO of Sistah Space says, there is still much more to do.  (1) Since its inception in 2015, the organisation has literally been saving lives and the installation of Valerie’s Law will increase this number. (2)  However, as valuable as this work is, the goal must be, however, the eradication of domestic violence/abuse from the community.  The available research, such as it is, offers a stark profile:

• African-Caribbean communities suffer gender-based violence “more greatly than other ethnic groups.” (3)

• NSPCC “research established that abuse was under reported and that African-Caribbean women wanted to protect black men from the authorities.” (4)

• Another factor in non-reporting is pressure from family or other community formation (e.g. religious, political), i.e. putting the “interests” of the family/community ahead of the abused. (5)

Advocates also assert that there a need to challenge the disproportionate emphasis on the survivors, as one agency put it: “Policy makers need to stop thinking ‘why doesn’t she leave?’ and start asking ‘why doesn’t he stop?’” (6)

Thus there is a need to identify why the abuse happens in the first place.  Some might simply regard it as the unfortunate (tragic, even) outcome of the interactions between two people.  Others attribute it to the “hyper masculinity” and power dynamic associated with patriarchy. (7)  Whereas, Bobby E Wright argues,  the “psychopathic racial personality” of Europeans provides a context for their sexual violence (8), it is necessary to identify how and why it developed in the Afrikan community, coming from a different (or opposite) cultural foundation.

Dr Kimbwandende Kia Buseki Fu-Kiau in his book Self-Healing Power & Therapy, outlines that the prevention of domestic abuse was whole community enterprise that would determine if the relationship (“marriage”) itself would even go ahead if there were sufficient concerns after extensive research in prospective partners and their families. (9)

It would appear that in the current time and space dispensation such a community-wide enterprise is largely beyond reach.  But maybe smaller formations are an option.

There is some data suggesting that some Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes, for example, can bring about change in men’s behaviour, assuming that the men want to change, particularly if they include group work including peer challenging and self-reflection. (10)

We can again find antecedents from within our cultural traditions where men’s behaviour is challenged by their peers in what the Gikuyu (Kenya) would call the riika.  (11)

We may also need to explore the factors impacting Afrikan men including what the likes of Dr Tommy J Curry refer to as “racial misandry”, gendered or sexualized racism, which he states is often overlooked. (12)

The foregoing strongly indicates that, short of a full return/embrace of our traditional norms, Afrikan men will have to chart their own path in dealing with domestic abuse. Perhaps rites of passage programmes, Brother’s Circles or initiatives like the Black Father’s Support Group provide an indication of a practical approach “to build a solid based foundation, to assist, advice and give the necessary support to fathers just like ourselves, to help rebuild and maintain the family structure…” (13)

(1) Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio  (01/11/21) The FACFO launch: Are we ready to DIE? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/the-facfo-launch-are-we-ready-to-die-011121/

(2)  Afrika Speaks with Alkebu-Lan on Galaxy Radio  (25/10/21) Making History Pt. 4: Can we make “VALERIE’S LAW” a reality? https://www.mixcloud.com/AfrikaSpeaks/making-history-pt-4-can-we-make-valeries-law-a-reality-251021/

(3) Estelle Catherine Munro (2014) A study of domestic violence and the African-Caribbean community in Preston and

surrounding areas. Diffusion: the UCLan Journal of Undergraduate Research Volume 7 Issue 2.

(4) Ibid.

(5) Ibid.

(6) Safe Lives (2019) Our Alternative White Paper on Domestic Abuse.  http://safelives.org.uk/sites/default/files/resources/Our%20Alternative%20White%20Paper%20on%20Domestic%20Abuse.pdf

(7)   Anne Gulland and Jennifer Rigby (19/03/21) Hyper masculinity, power and patriarchy: why some men abuse women. https://www.telegraph.co.uk/global-health/women-and-girls/hyper-masculinity-power-patriarchy-men-abuse-women/

(8) Bobby E Wright (1984) The Pyschopathic Racial Personality and Other Essays. Third World Press. p. 6-7

(9) Kimbwandende Kia Buseki Fu-Kiau (2001) Self-Healing Power & Therapy. African Tree Press. p.24-6

(10) Liz Kelly and Nicole Westmarland (2017) Steps Towards Change: Domestic Violence Perpetrator Programmes. Durham University. https://www.dur.ac.uk/resources/criva/ProjectMirabalfinalreport.pdf. p. 45-6

(11) Jomo Kenyatta (1961) Facing Mount Kenya. Martin Secker & Warburg Ltd. p. 2-3

(12)  Shervin Assari and T.J. Curry (21/07/20) Black men face high discrimination and depression, even as their education and incomes rise. https://theconversation.com/black-men-face-high-discrimination-and-depression-even-as-their-education-and-incomes-rise-141027

(13) Black Father’s Support Group (2021) About Us. https://www.bfsg.org.uk/about/

we ask the question:

Ending Domestic Abuse: Should men be taking the lead?

1) What do we make of the notion that African-Caribbean communities suffer more gender-based violence?

2) Has domestic abuse always existed in our community or did develop in a particular way at a particular time?

3) Is there enough focus on identifying the experiences of men such as “racial misandry”?

4) In the absence of a functional community what strategies should we employ to stem the tide of abuse”?

Our Special Guests:

Bro. Ldr. Mbandaka: Resident guest who is Spiritual Leader of the Alkebu-Lan Revivalist Movement and an Afrikan-Centred Education Consultant.  Bro. Ldr is a veteran activist of almost 40 years standing, a featured columnist in The Whirlwind newspaper and author of Mosiah Daily Affirmations and Education: An African-Centred Approach To Excellence.

Bro. Geb: Partner, Psychotherapist – The African Diaspora Mental Health Association. With more than 30 years public sector experience.  Bro. Geb  is considered an expert in Post Traumatic Slave Syndrome.  He is a  Pan Africanist that has lived in numerous countries and is currently a resident of Massachusetts where he lives with his daughter (https://admha.org/).. 

Bro. Raymond Bucknor: Chair, Black Father’s Support Group. which meets as a group collective and discuss problems, agendas, issues and all relevant concerns based around parental guidance in order to  build self-esteem and self-confidence with members in the group.  The gives members the ability and capability to work out problems to solutions and solutions to problems (https://www.bfsg.org.uk/).