Despite the growth of research on the frequencies, patterns, and causes of family violence, there is limited research in this area related to African-American families. Through the narratives of nine former physically, emotionally, and sexually abused African-American wives, this research study confronted the idea of a universal abuse experience by exposing how system of inequalities, especially gender and race, help foster less-explored constructions of and reactions to abuse. The nine participants were either separated or divorced from their African-American spouses when interviewed. In-depth, semi-structured interviews were used to collect the data, with all interviews audio-taped. The findings suggest that participants’ observations on African-American men’s social marginalization, educational and economic disparities between African-American partners, African-American women’s role in safeguarding African-American men, and gendered scripts on traditions of resistance influenced their perspectives on the causes of and responses to abuse. References