Older African American Women and Barriers to Reporting Domestic Violence to Law Enforcement in the Rural Deep South

Abstract

Victims of domestic violence are legally entitled to police protection, but multiple barriers exist in contacting law enforcement. In this study, we used Federal Bureau of Investigation data, key informant interviews, and focus groups to examine barriers to reporting domestic violence among older African American women in the rural Deep South. Three primary barriers were identified: gender roles, age dependency, and mistrust of law enforcement. The main finding was that reports of domestic violence were deterred by fears of being stigmatized by church, family, and community. The one compelling and feasible resolution is for law enforcement to take a leadership role in educating clergy and other community leaders about domestic violence as a crime against older women.

KEYWORDS:

• African Americans
• domestic violence
• older women
• rural

The study on which this article is based was supported in part by a Faculty Associate Seed Grant to Ida M. Johnson and Bronwen Lichtenstein from the Center for Mental Health and Aging at the University of Alabama. Thanks go to Cindy Roff for facilitating the research; to Anne Stahl, Joseph Martin, Crystal Murry, and Betty Hicks for technical assistance; to Frances Bernat and the anonymous reviewers of this article; and to the women and key informants who participated in the research.

Notes

Note: Black and White categories include Hispanics/Latinas.

Source: National Incident-Based Reporting System (Snyder et al. 2007).

Note: Black and White categories include Hispanics/Latinas.

Source: National Incident-Based Reporting System (Snyder et al. 2007).