Merrill Palmer Skillman Institute (MPSI) Research Colloquium Series

This event is co-sponsored by MPSI & the WSU Humanities Center

Freer House Parking: Gated parking in Lot 35 off John R Street. Gate accepts OneCard and credit card. Enter Freer House through back door.

Cultural Betrayal, Sexual Abuse, & Black Women: Healing Within & Outside of The Black Family

Presenter: Jennifer M. Gómez, PhD, Assistant Professor, School of Social Work, Clinical Practice Department, Center for Innovation in Social Work & Health, Boston University

The impact of child sexual abuse (CSA) on adult survivors is affected by the interpersonal and societal contexts in which the abuse occurs. According to betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1996), CSA perpetrated by someone close, like a parent, is classified as a high betrayal trauma because the abuse violates the child’s trust and/or dependence on the parent. Such high betrayal traumas are associated with costly mental, physical, and behavioral health outcomes (e.g., Adams-Clark et al., 2020). Moreover, family betrayal, such as family members’ unsupportive responses to a child’s CSA victimization, is further linked with dissociation and PTSD (Delker et al., 2018). In addition to this interpersonal context, structural racism (Mills, 1997) and intersectional oppression (e.g., interlocking racism and sexism; Collins, 1991) further impact Black female survivors. Specifically, cultural betrayal trauma theory (Gómez, 2012, 2023) proposes that if a Black father sexually abuses his Black daughter, the girl’s outcomes are impacted by both people experiencing discrimination in society. Specifically, because of structural racism, within-group violence–Black perpetrator, Black victim–includes a cultural betrayal harm because it violates the solidarity, or (intra)cultural trust, developed within the Black community that protects against the racism. Cultural betrayal trauma is associated with a range of outcomes, including dissociation, PTSD, and internalized prejudice (Gómez, 2023). Taken together, CSA that occurs within a Black family can include high betrayal (Freyd, 1996), family betrayal (Delker et al., 2018), and cultural betrayal (Gómez, 2023). Despite often being the site of intimate terrorism via male-perpetrated CSA and other violence in the home (United Nations General Assembly, 1993), the family unit can alternatively provide a haven for healing. In this talk, Dr. Gómez will review the literature on betrayal trauma theory (Freyd, 1996), family betrayal (Delker et al., 2018), structural racism (Buggs et al., 2020), intersectional oppression (Crenshaw, 1991), sexual violence (Gómez & Johnson, 2022), and cultural betrayal trauma theory (Gómez, 2023). She then will detail the strengths found in many Black families, including extended networks of support from elders, parents, siblings, children, other relatives, loved ones, and friends (McAdoo & Younge, 2009), who provide connection, cultural identity, safety, protection, and solidarity against oppression (e.g., hooks, 1984; Zinzow et al., 2021). Taken from her book, The Cultural Betrayal of Black Women & Girls: A Black Feminist Approach to Healing from Sexual Abuse (Gómez, 2023; American Psychological Association), she will then discuss avenues for Black women’s healing from CSA both within and outside of the family. Lastly, Dr. Gómez will close with hope for creating a world in which violence and inequality no longer exist.