Mo’Nique Best Supporting Actress for Precious and the Issues of Abuse in the African American Community

Mo’Nique, the comedienne-turned-dramatic-powerhouse, fresh on the heels of Precious’ win for best adapted screenplay and her Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her harrowing portrayal of an abusive mother in the film, shows that one can rise above the issues of childhood abuse and be a positive figure as an adult.

Mo’Nique has indicated that she was sexually abused by an older brother as a child, and while it seems that it is isolated, there are many unresolved issues of abuse in the African-American community and the larger community as well. In essence, “Precious” is a snapshot of a dark secret in our communities. Dr. Tanure Ojaide, a renowned African poet who has won many national and international poetry awards, and the Frank Porter Graham Professor of Africana Studies at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, says “some of the issue related to abuse can be traced back to slavery and more recently poverty in the African-American community.” Here are some statistics on sexual abuse in the African American community:

Statistics show that two-thirds of all victims of sexual assault reported to the police were under 18. In nearly 95 percent of the cases, the offender was a family member or acquaintance.
African-American women are less likely than white women to involve police in cases of child sexual abuse. Fears about betraying the family by turning abusers into “the system” and distrust of institutions and authorities often lead blacks to remain silent about “family business.”
Black women report being more severely abused with greater force. They also report “more upset, greater long-term effects and more negative life experiences” from sexual abuse than white women. Among the effects: post-traumatic stress disorder, depression, anxiety, eating disorders, substance abuse, self-mutilation and more.
Poverty, which contributes to violence in many communities, is not seen as a risk factor for child sexual abuse. Abuse is more likely to be reported among low-income families, but is virtually undetected in families whose money or status shield them from authorities.
In surveys of adults, 1 in 4 women and 1 in 6 men report that they were sexually abused as a child.

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