6 Famous Black Women Who Have Spoken Out About Sexual Abuse

National research shows that 60 percent of African-American girls have been sexually assaulted by age 18. Black women are members of a community that maintains a cultural history of silence in cases of sexual assault largely because of a distrust of authority and fearing that they will not be taken seriously. In addition, Black women often bear a psychological inheritance carried from slavery, a period when they were considered property and were the victims of abuse that was normalized in society. The U.S.Department of Justice estimates that for every rape reported by a Black woman, at least 15 cases go unreported. These six Black women, who just happen to be in the public eye, have broken the code of silence to speak about their experience of sexual abuse. Photo: redeyechicago Gabrielle Union Gabrielle Union has spoken out about being raped at gunpoint when she was 19 while working a summer job at a Payless shoe store. The 41-year-old actress said on ABC’s “The View,” that she did not want to labeled a victim, but a survivor. “Being a victim is so comfortable,” she said. “People give you attention... but it's not for something positive... I hated the cloak of victim and I realized that the people around me were going to not let me succeed, or achieve, or meet all of my goals and I wanted that cloak of victimhood off. I wanted to embrace being a survivor.” Photo: Grace University Oprah Winfrey Media maven Oprah Winfrey has carved a successful career by being a relatable voice to millions. Winfrey is a siren for many issues, one of them being sexual abuse, which she was famously candid about during a 1986 taping of her show featuring sexual abuse victims and their offenders. During the segment, she revealed that she had been raped by a relative when she was 9 years old and the abuse from this relative -- and others -- continued until she was 13, leading to sexual promiscuity and a teenage pregnancy. Winfrey continues to be a sounding board for those who have experienced abuse. Photo: BizzyBlanco Fantasia Barrino Singer Fantasia Barrino has been an open book about her past since she emerged on the scene after winning season 3 of the television competition, American Idol. One revelation, told while taping the VH1 docu-series “Behind the Music,” was that she was raped while in high school in the auditorium. Fantasia says the experience and the subsequent taunting was the reason she dropped out. "It got out... I was hearing things in the hallways. They were saying, 'I'm gonna do you the same way he did you,' and that for me was it.... I figured the best way to handle this was to never go back." Photo: Lohudblogs Mo'Nique Oscar and Golden Globe award winner Mo’Nique opened up about being sexually abused by her older brother when she was 7. When receiving the Golden Globe for her role as an abusive mother in the Lee Daniels-directed film "Precious," Mo’Nique said the honor was dedicated to victims of abuse. She urged women to tell their own stories. "I celebrate this award with all the Preciouses, with all the Marys -- I celebrate this award with every person that's ever been touched. It's now time to tell. And it's OK," she said. Photo: Mommy Noire Mary J. Blige Mary J. Blige, the queen of hip-hop soul, is known for her heart-gripping emotional lyrics. The “I’m Not Gonna Cry” singer has been vocal about the palpable pain in her music stemming from years of abuse. She says that she was raped at 5 years old by a family friend and it shaped her self-perception years into her adulthood. “I remember feeling, literally right before it happened, I just could not believe that this person was going to do this to me,” Blige said. “That thing followed me all my life. The shame of thinking my molestation was my fault – it led me to believe I wasn’t worth anything.” Photo: Business Week Maya Angelou Poet and cultural legend Maya Angelou has provided a voice for Black people’s, struggles, pains and victories for decades. Perhaps, her art freed her voice, once mute after she was raped at 7 years old by her mother’s boyfriend. Angelou writes about being raped in the coming-of-age novel, "I Know Why The Caged Bird Sings" (1969). Sources: http://abcnews.go.com/Entertainment/stars-whove-spoken-abuse/story?id18122368#5

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