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PiscesMalaak Compton Rock on Domestic Violence
Philanthropist and wife of comedian Chris Rock gives her take on what's going on with domestic violence in the black community.
Kimberly Seals Allers: There are a lot of things we don't discuss in our communities. Many topics are taboo -- many have complicated nuances that are hard to explain. One of those issues is domestic violence and dating violence.
Last week, I was invited to Liz Claiborne's "It's Time to Talk Day" -- a national day of dialogue on domestic violence and teen dating abuse, where leading voices come together for a day of radio and blogging about an issue that doesn't get enough talk time. Learn more at Love Is Not Abuse.
I couldn't help but feel a bit emotionally spent dealing with such a heavy and important issue. Of course, my mind was on the black community -- on our issues.
Enter activist and philanthropist Malaak Compton Rock. The wife of my favorite comedian, Chris Rock, takes service very seriously (check out her many projects at The Angel Rock Project). Her mantra for life comes from Marian Wright Edelman --"Service is the rent you pay for living." You probably saw Malaak's phenomenal "Journey for Change" -- a youth empowerment program for teens in Bushwick, Brooklyn, featured on CNN's "Black in America 2."But last week Malaak and I had a candid conversation about domestic violence in the Black community. And I think everyone needs to listen:
Kimberly Allers: How is domestic violence different for us?
Malaak: The silence is killing us. I think the white community has done a good job showing that domestic violence is not a poor woman's problem. They have changed the face of domestic violence to show that educated, career women suffer as well. We haven't.
Kimberly: I think that if you are "successful" and you have that positive black family image going on, there's even more pressure to keep up that appearance and not break up another black family.
Malaak: You're right. There's a lot of fear of breaking up the family, and we need more affluent women to come out of the closet. There is a fear that 'I'm alone.' We have to take the stigma out of the issue and add more faces and voices to that pain. I think it needs to start in Black magazines and even websites like yours.
Kimberly: What can our men do?
Malaak: I will tell you this, my husband is very aware of how he treats me because he knows our two daughters are learning how to be treated by a man by his dealings with me. It all starts in the home. Fathers need to be involved with their daughters, teaching them what they deserve and should expect in any future relationship.
Kimberly: That's powerful.
Malaak: I know this, women who are strong, confident and secure in who they are were raised by fathers who instilled that into them.
Even though our community has disproportionately high levels of single female-headed households, we can't get around how important our black men are to saving our communities, our babies and ourselves.
 | Kimberly Seals Allers is an award-winning business journalist and founder and editor-in-chief of MochaManual.com, a weekly online magazine for moms of color. She is the author of "The Mocha Manual to a Fabulous Pregnancy" and "The Mocha Manual to Turning Your Passion into Profit." Kimberly is a divorcing mother of two and lives on Long Island, NY. |
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- 22 Comments
My preacher preached the true sanctification of marriage - not marriage and sex. Sex is for making (preplanned) babies. While I do not fall in this category by definition of marriage in the US, I do believe that children and families should be deliberately thought out to prevent incongruencies to the family tree. Children are best raised in two parent households because of the balance it can present. In any event, my child is well loved. This does not include abortion as an option.
When we talk about abuse to women, I think we need to start with the children. Children love parents unconditiionally. , parents do not love children unconditionally. That is where the abuse starts and it just keeps on going on. It has to stop at the beginning, by never starting. A book on lulu.com Mommy, Daddy I Love You, Love Me about a child asking parents to love and not abuse, sexually, physically, mentally, emotionally. A child just asking to be loved.
Marriage is not about nuptials. It’s about God blessing your union when a man and woman come together after separating for a time. However, a man should not touch a woman. It’s in your Bible.
Then again marriage can or may be about nuptials. Females need more public acknowledgement. Ms. Rock is doing a great job with her family.
True, childrens are always the victim. It might sound romantic and seems like a good idea, but love above all only works when there is only the two of you. When it involves one, two or more little angels from heaven (they may not look like it most of the time), it became commitment is above all. And good healthy marriage like anything else good do not come eazy, it takes two to tango.
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