Internalised Racism and Sexual Abuse

When I became a therapist 25 years ago, I also became aware of the marginalisation and silence about certain subjects. At the time we could talk openly about women, Freud, Jung and hysteria and not so openly about being black or gay or oppressed by mainstream society. The silence and inability to empathise was also extended to mental health and people raised in care. Today the tables have turned slightly in that both women and men, black/Asian people, GLBT, refugee groups have drawn attention to the marginalisation of their experiences. However we have a long way to travel in terms of overcoming the obstacles to equal and appropriate support understanding and services for survivors of rape, sexual abuse and violence.

Fear of not being believed and institutional oppressions such as racism impact survivors of these heinous experiences. What is it like to be raped and abused, traumatised and not believed by institutions such as the family, social services and the legal system? In addition to this coerced denial, the experience of racism is often not believed. The Steven Lawrence case is an example of disbelief in racism.

How can we help turn disbelief into belief? We first need to take a look at this systemised disbelief and explore whether support systems play a part in perpetuating disbelief and marginalisation of individual experiences.

If disbelief is occurring disassociation may not be picked up. A common form of disassociation that occurs in my practice as a psychotherapist is black adult female survivors of sexual abuse blaming the men in their current relationships or the women in their early lives rather than acknowledging their feelings about the perpetrator. They ask for therapy because they are exhausted, suffering from driveness and compulsive independence and they are concerned about difficulties in their current relationship. Through the attention given to their behaviour they realise that they are masking their feelings about racism and experiences of sexual abuse.

We know that rape has throughout history and continues to be used as a tool of domination and a war weapon. I wonder about the war that happens within when denial or disassociation of feelings about rape, sexual abuse and violence are being silenced. Internalization of the strong black woman image plays a key role in behavior patterns that suppress the pain of these experiences. Some black mothers who themselves or their children had suffered sexual abuse feel they must show they are strong and coping. These women have silenced their emotional responses but continue to suffer confusion, isolation and deep hurt coupled by fear of being seen as weak if they disclose these feelings.

This behavior can create depression and a role model of silencing for the abused child. The strong black woman as a black western archetype is seen as infallible and she is often less supported than her contemporaries. From slavery, the mammy archetype has infiltrated her psyche; She can be driven by her distress as she tirelessly serves the extended family and the unreasonable demands of her employers. When she expresses her rage about the injustices that she is experiencing her hurt is not seen because she is viewed as aggressive rather than vulnerable. Her cries are internal and even when she is visibly crying the responses are less empathic, less connecting, less supportive because it rare that she cries and shows her vulnerability as she inhabits don’t discharge patterns and she is usually the one to support others and push her own needs aside.