AFROCENTRIC PRAXIS: NEW INSIGHT INTO HEALTHCARE AND SOCIAL SERVICE RESPONSES TO INTIMATE PARTNER VIOLENCE AMONG AFRICAN, CARIBBEAN, AND BLACK WOMEN IN ONTARIO, CANADA-THIS IS NOT JUST A RESEARCH PROJECT, IT’S ABOUT OUR LIVES.

Abstract

This dissertation explores the application of Afrocentric praxis in healthcare and social service responses to intimate partner violence (IPV) among African, Caribbean, and Black (ACB) women in Ontario, Canada. Grounded in Afrocentric theory, Black feminist thought, endarkened feminism, intersectionality, and decolonizing methodologies, study examines how cultural identity, systemic oppression, and multiple intersecting identities—such as race, gender, socio-economic status, and immigration status—shape the experiences of ACB women survivors of IPV. The research investigates how current healthcare and social service frameworks either support or fail to meet the unique needs of these women, with a particular focus on how intersecting forms of marginalization affect their access to and quality of services. Using Community-Based Research (CBR), qualitative interviews, and talking circles, this study engages ACB women survivors of IPV, healthcare professionals, and service providers to gather data that reflects the lived experiences of participants. Through these methods, this research identifies gaps in culturally responsive care and highlights the role of Afrocentric principles such as Ubuntu, Kujichagulia, and Ujima in shaping holistic, community-driven interventions. The findings suggest that mainstream services often fail to address the specific needs of ACB women, with service provision frequently neglecting the complexity of their intersecting identities. Afrocentric approaches, grounded in collective responsibility, empowerment, and community solidarity, provide a transformative framework for IPV response and prevention, addressing these complexities by centering the lived experiences of ACB women. This research highlights how systemic oppression, including anti-Black racism, intersects with IPV experiences, influencing access to and outcomes in healthcare and social service systems. Key barriers and facilitators were identified from survivors, healthcare professionals and service providers, with a focus on the importance of Afrocentric healing modalities—such as storytelling, community rituals, and symbolic cultural practices like kente cloth, kiondo, water carriers, and flowers. These symbols emphasized resilience, healing, and cultural connectedness, which are crucial for ACB women’s empowerment and recovery. Incorporating decolonizing methodologies, this research challenges colonial narratives in healthcare and social services, advocating for a reimagining of systems that recognize the value of Indigenous, African, and Afro-diasporic knowledge systems. This study proposes that culturally relevant, trauma-informed, and intersectional approaches that prioritize self-determination, resilience, and collective healing offer the most effective means of addressing IPV within ACB communities. These findings offer new insights for policy and practice, urging the adoption of community-based, culturally informed, and decolonized interventions that enhance the well-being and safety of ACB women in Ontario and beyond.