Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture

by Gordon Braxton Narrated by Beresford Bennett

Overview

Gordon Braxton was in his second year of college before anybody bothered to speak to him about sexual violence, despite the fact that he already knew friends and family members that had survived sexual assault. Unfortunately, this is a
common experience as many young men and boys, especially Black boys, do not have an opportunity to discuss their views on sexual violence and what role they might play in preventing it. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture
supports the training of a rising generation by providing commentary from an experienced educator, an overview of existing research and preventative techniques, and insight into young men's perspectives on violence. The result is a
powerful new perspective on violence prevention-the first to focus on Black boys and to be written by a Black male author.
The most critical lesson that boys need to learn is that they have an essential role to play in preventing sexual violence. So many of them accept this violence as beyond their control when they could be valuable agents of change. More and
more parents and mentors of boys are coming to address sexual violence as a cultural problem rather than the activities of isolated social deviants. Empowering Black Boys to Challenge Rape Culture adds an important voice to our discussions
about sexual violence education and prevention, showing that a rising generation of boys will play a vital part in realizing a non-violent future.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

10/25/2021

Education consultant Braxton debuts with an impassioned call for young Black men to be active participants in the fight against sexual violence. Stressing the importance of men being more than just passive allies, Braxton recounts how joining One in Four, a student group committed to ending the rape epidemic on college campuses, opened the door for his female classmates to share their stories of being sexually assaulted. He sheds light on issues affecting efforts to eradicate rape culture in the Black community, including the history of false accusations by white women against Black men, misogyny in hip-hop music, racial disparities in the criminal justice system, and the desire not to "further assault the Black male image." Braxton suggests that parents and educators can draw on Black boys' awareness of racism to help them "detect the social underpinnings for massive amounts of violence against women"; identifies common misconceptions about what qualifies as sexual assault, including that victims must physically resist their attackers; and interviews key players in the movement to end sexual violence. Unfortunately, he provides few specific models to follow, and doesn't make clear which discussions are appropriate for which age groups. Readers will appreciate Braxton's insights but wish for a more specific road map. (Jan.)

Product Details

BN ID:	2940176001662
Publisher:	Recorded Books, LLC
Publication date:	03/15/2022
Edition description:	Unabridged

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