Jonathan Metts Incest and Abuse in African American Households Despite centuries of change in African American society, inecst and physical abuse continue to be a prevalent problem in many black households. The number of lives and families affected by these types of abuse is truly astounding and appalling. Perhaps the most appalling element of these situations is the fact that it continues to occur frequently today. As described in The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, the types of abuse play a critical part in many African American families. These issues need to be earnestly acknowledged and resolved.
An issue that has always been present in many African American families is incest. In order to truly understand the issue at hand, incest
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According to the article Child Abuse, Social Support, and Social Functioning in African American Children, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in 2006 reported “child abuse is a critical public health issue with more than 900,000 children exposed to abuse or neglect (including physical abuse) each year” (Lamis). Many of these cases have occurred within African American families. Much like incest abuse, physical abuse occurs in Henrietta Lack’s family. Galen, Deborah resisted his advances, “...grabbed Deborah by the arm, threw her in the car, and punched her hard in the face” (Skloot 115). This particular incident, among many others, indicates that incest and physical abuse frequently occur together or as a cause and or effect of one another. Much like incestual abuse, physical abuse has grossly negative effects on its victims. The article Child Abuse, Social Support, and Social Functioning in African African American Children states that “abused children experience higher rates of both internalizing and externalizing symptoms that often lead to mental disorders” (Lamis). Similar to incest victims, many physical abuse victims go unacknowledged and untreated, resulting in devastating