Black Muslim Women's Use of Spirituality and Religion as Domestic Violence Coping Strategies

Abstract

Women use multiple strategies to cope with domestic violence, including religion and spirituality. While there is a body of research on domestic violence in the American Muslim community, little exists on the domestic violence experiences of a large concentration of Muslims in the United States – Black women. This article reports findings of a small- scale qualitative study that examined Black Muslim women’s use of religion and spirituality to cope with domestic violence. Five themes emerged: seeking help from religious leaders, prayer, using Quranic wisdom, spiritual cleansing, and connecting to a larger purpose. Implications for practice and future research are discussed.