[Aljazeera] I remember the sound of shattering glass breaking our complacency the day a family member pushed me through a window. As middle-graders, we were both accustomed to physical violence, fighting viciously, which often left me with bruises.The language of the #MeToo movement helped me understand that the sexual trauma I experienced in my childhood was another form of violence. An adult in my life did not force themselves upon me, but frequently masturbated in front of me. Given my limited understanding of abusers’ motivations and mental conditions, as an 11-year-old I could only deduce that I deserved what was happening to me. I imagined that if only I were stronger, I could have stopped it all. I could have won the physical fight against my physical abuser, and I could have told the sexual abuser in my life "no, this is wrong."
Yet, in the same way a disempowered child cannot be expected to win against a powerful abuser, Black parents in the United States cannot be expected to combat the overwhelming constraints limited access to mental healthcare services places on their home life. Lack of access to these services hampers their ability to protect their children from violence in the home and society without government intervention.
In March, progressive members of the US Congress introduced a bill to create Medicare for all, a broad government-run health insurance programme. Although efforts to pass such legislation continue, congressional support for universal health care is yet to be institutionalised.
However, not implementing Medicare for all could perpetuate untreated mental conditions which correlate with the disproportionate abuse of Black children.
As a 36-year-old Black woman sociologist, I have spent the last three years learning how to integrate traumatic experiences into my life as a writer, antiracism trainer, and social justice advocate. But for most of my adult life, I did not have access to insurance that allowed me quality mental healthcare from a licensed provider. I grew up believing that my trauma was something that would be healed through churchgoing and self-help books. Given that I had no examples of trauma victims in my life that had the resources or perspective to seek out licensed help, I saw people I loved struggle to prevent their traumatic experiences from devastating their relationships and life chances.
