Honoring Black History Month

In recognition of Black History Month, we are sharing reflections that deepen our community’s understanding of how Black women have shaped and led the domestic and sexual violence movement over the years. These pieces honor the advocacy, leadership, and lived experiences that continue to inform survivor-centered work today.

Black History Month, Power, and the Roots of Gender-Based Violence 

By Morgan Baker 

As we honor Black History Month and recognize Teen Dating Violence Awareness Month this February, I have been reflecting on the deep historical roots of domestic and sexual violence in the United States and how those roots continue to shape the experiences of many survivors today. 

One of the earliest and most brutal chapters of this history begins with slavery. Black women were subjected to complete control over their bodies, lives, and futures. Enslaved women were sexually assaulted, exploited, and terrorized, often during forced transport on ships and throughout their enslavement, with no legal protection and no recognition of their humanity. Violence, domination, fear, and silence were not accidental byproducts of slavery, they were deliberate tools used to maintain power. 

What is important, and uncomfortable, to acknowledge, is that these systems did not simply disappear. The normalization of control, coercion, and violence did not end when slavery was abolished. Instead, these harms echoed forward through generations, shaping social norms, institutions, and personal relationships. For many Black women and girls today, experiences of violence are compounded by racism, sexism, and a long history of being disbelieved, unprotected, or blamed. 

These dynamics help us understand an essential truth: violence is not normal, even when it has been made to feel familiar. Control is not love. Fear is not safety. Silence is not consent. Yet for many survivors, these realities have been passed down and reinforced over centuries, making it harder to name harm and even harder to seek help. 

As a white woman, I am continuing my own journey of learning and unlearning. Listening to Black voices, acknowledging where systems have failed, and understanding how privilege and history shape whose pain is seen and whose is ignored. Black women have been leaders, advocates, and architects of the movement to end domestic and sexual violence, even when their contributions have gone unrecognized. Our collective responsibility is to learn that history, honor that leadership, and ensure that our work today is rooted in equity, dignity, and justice. 

This month, I invite our community to reflect alongside us. 

Whose voices have historically been centered, and whose have been silenced? 

How does understanding history deepen our response to violence today? 

What does it mean to create safety that is truly inclusive? 

Learning is an act of care. Remembering is an act of justice. And committing to change (together) is how we honor both the past and the future. 

Building Healthy Futures: Black History and Teen Dating Violence Prevention 

Anonymous Author

The movement to end domestic violence is rooted in themes of resistance, dignity, and collective action – values deeply reflected in Black history. Black communities have long organized to confront injustice, break silence, and protect one another when systems failed to do so. Similarly, the domestic violence movement emerged from grassroots efforts to name abuse as a social issue shaped by power and inequality, not a private matter to be hidden.

Teen dating violence can also be understood within this historical and social context. Black teens often face barriers to help, including mistrust of institutions, fear of criminalization, and limited access to culturally responsive resources. Viewing teen dating violence through a Black history lens means recognizing how racism, sexism, and economic inequality intersect to shape young people’s relationships and choices. To better serve Black youth, effective prevention must move beyond awareness and invest in culturally responsive education, youth leadership development, and community-based supports that promote healthy relationships, affirm identity, and provide safe, non-punitive pathways to help.

Connecting the domestic violence movement with Black History and teen dating violence strengthens all three by grounding prevention and intervention in context and community wisdom. It calls on schools, advocates, policymakers and individuals to listen to youth voices, honor lived experience and invest in solutions that promote safety and respect. By acknowledging history and confronting present-day inequities, we can help young people – especially Black teens – develop relationships grounded in respect and fairness, breaking cycles of violence and creating more just and equitable futures.