(Posted 2026 February)

Intimate partner violence and sexual assault do not happen in a vacuum; they exist within systems shaped by racism, sexism, classism, and other forms of oppression. During Black History Month, it is especially important to ground our work in these truths: 1) Black women, black teens, and black folks within the LGBTQ+ community experience domestic violence at disproportionately higher rates than their white counterparts; 2) 45 percent of black women have experienced stalking and physical or sexual violence in their lifetime; and 3) nearly 70 percent of black bisexual women and 56 percent of black transgender people experience intimate partner violence in their lifetime.

That’s why racial justice is key to ending interpersonal violence. 

1. Sexual violence has been used as a tool of racial oppression. Throughout U.S. history, sexual violence has been weaponized to maintain racial power structures:
   • Enslaved black women were routinely assaulted during slavery.
   • False accusations of sexual assault were used to justify lynching of black men.
   • Immigrant and detained populations have faced abuse with little protection.

These histories continue to shape distrust of systems today.

2. Survivors of color face additional barriers to safety and justice. People from marginalized racial communities often experience:
   • Disbelief or harmful stereotypes
   • Fear of law enforcement due to racial profiling
   • Cultural stigma or community pressure
   • Economic inequality limiting escape options

Without racial justice, many survivors cannot safely access support.

3. Systems meant to provide justice often reproduce harm. Policing, courts, health care, and child welfare systems have disproportionately harmed communities of color. This creates a painful dilemma:
   • Reporting may increase risk of criminalization for their community.
   • Survivors may fear contributing to racial injustice.
   • People who cause harm may avoid accountability if systems are mistrusted.

Ending sexual violence requires equitable, accountable, and non-discriminatory systems.

4. Stereotypes shape who is believed and who is punished. Racialized myths impact responses to sexual violence:
   1. Black women are stereotyped as hypersexual and less “innocent.”
   2. Black and brown men may be hyper-criminalized.

These narratives influence media, juries, campus responses, and public opinion.

5. Prevention must address root causes. Sexual violence is connected to power imbalances, dehumanization, gender inequality, and economic injustice. Racism reinforces all of these. Preventing violence requires dismantling systems that rank human value based on race.
    
6. Community-based solutions are essential. Racial justice movements emphasize culturally specific advocacy, community accountability models, restorative and transformative justice approaches, and survivor-centered responses outside of purely punitive systems. These strategies can increase safety without increasing racial harm.
    
7. True safety must be collective. If solutions only work for white, middle-class survivors, they are incomplete. Ending sexual violence means centering those most marginalized; funding culturally specific organizations; addressing housing, health care, and economic stability; and challenging racism within anti-violence movements. Safety that excludes some communities is not real safety.

Racial justice is not separate from the work of ending interpersonal violence. It is foundational to it. We cannot prevent or respond to interpersonal violence effectively without addressing the racial inequities embedded in our history, institutions, and cultural narratives. Black History Month reminds us that healing should never depend on race, zip code, or access to resources.

Fairfax County’s Domestic and Sexual Violence Services division supports adults, teens, and children who have been impacted by domestic and sexual violence, stalking, and human trafficking. Services are confidential, free, and provided regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, national origin, age, disability, religion, gender identity, or sexual orientation. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing interpersonal violence, call the Domestic and Sexual Violence 24-Hour Hotline at 703-360-7273 for resources and support. If you are in immediate danger, call 9-1-1.

This posting is part of the Department of Family Services' Community Corner where you’ll find timely information about upcoming events, parenting and wellness tips, programs and services, and more! Share these helpful posts with your friends and family. Don't miss out on future postings! Sign up today!

Back to top