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As a small child, I was shamed into silence in an effort to conceal the crimes of those who would abuse, abandon and neglect me. Asking for help has never come easy for me as an adult. As a child asking for help seemed to always fall on deaf ears. I pondered on the idea of asking for help in completing a project that goes directly against "The Code of Silence" in the African American Community. I could hear that faint voice, " What goes on in this house stays in this house." African American women like myself have been the gatekeeper's for childhood abuse, molestation, incest and rape in our communities. We have worn the pain of our Great-Great Grandmother's, Grandmother's for generations to come before us. We have been paralyzed by the guilt, shame and vague remorse of the very people who were supposed to protect us.60% of black girls have experienced sexual abuse at the hands of black men before reaching the age of 18, according to an ongoing study conducted by Black Women's Blueprint.1 in 4 black girls will be sexually abused before the age of 18. (Stone, R.D., No Secrets, No Lies: How Black Families Can Heal from Sexual Abuse, 2004)30% of black women with documented histories of childhood sexual abuse were sexually assaulted in adulthood. (Siegel & Williams, Risk Factors for Sexual Victimization of Women, Violence Against Women 9, 2003)For every black woman who reports a rape, at least 15 do not report (Bureau of Justice Statistics, 2009)If you gather 10 African American women in a room, it is likely that at least nine have been victims of pedophilia, street harassment, and/or sexual assault; or they have a friend, cousin, sister, aunt, mother, or grandmother who has been victimized.Yes, just about all of us, and for me, both cases are true. I speak for the voiceless not to tell their story, but to tell mine; and in-so-doing, I encourage you to tell yours. Some people simply need a little inspiration to stand up and be heard.
