Current social work practice and mainstream interventions to IPV emphasize Eurocentric and Western paradigms that have been harmful for Black communities (Adomako et al., 2025). As a result, there have been several calls to decolonize the work and a dismantling of policies that are rooted in anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism (Adomako et al.,2025; Udah et al., 2025). Moreover, these paradigms fail to provide solutions to deeply entrenched and intergenerational wounds of anti-Black racism (Adomako et al.,2025). Similarly, there must be a greater consideration of how current systems, policies and procedures fall short in adequately supporting survivors and families. These interventions should be intersectional and multidisciplinary, with explicit attention to anti-Black racism, misogynoir, and class.
To fully understand why current Eurocentric and western approaches fall short, it is critical to ground this discussion in frameworks that help us uncover the necessity of engaging in Ubuntu principles and collective healing approaches in our efforts to end IPV in Black communities.
Critical Race Theory (CRT) is a theoretical framework that allows us to understand how anti-Black racism emerges within our societies creating a variety of inequities. Specifically, the framework situates racism as a systemic tool that is embedded within laws, policies and institutions that perpetuate social, political, economic and health inequities (Douglas et al., 2022; Ford& Airhihenbuwa, 2010). bell hooks coined White Supremacy Capitalist Patriarchy a Black feminist ideology that aligns with CRT in identifying colonial systems to rigidly shape social, economic, and political structures. These systems in turn exist as root causes to poor outcomes across employment, education, criminal justice, child welafare and more (Hooks, 2000). Together these theories suggest that the conditions Black people experience within Eurocentric and western society currently produce environments that create risk factors for self-destructive behaviours which can include abuse and violence (Gilbert et al., 2009). Likewise, through systemic racism, economic marginalization and ongoing exposure to structural violence, these environments generate chronic stress and unresolved trauma that can shape harmful coping mechanisms (Wilson et al., 2023).
Ubuntu
We present Ubuntu as one knowledge and philosophy that can be used to promote collective healing and wellness, even within intimate partner relationships. Ubuntu is an African viewpoint that is translated to “I am because you are and because you are therefore I am.” It emphasizes relationships with others that are rooted in “collective responsibility and communal accountability, social justice, recognition and reciprocity” (Udah et al., 2025). These ideologies directly contradict western and Eurocentric notions that assert individualism. The exclusion of collective values and relational accountability creates conditions in which structural racism operates effectively, producing social and economic harms. Rather, Ubuntu offers different ways to understand relationships, accountability and requires us to rethink what preventing violence looks like in practice.
Preventing Intimate Partner Violence
Ubuntu and similar Africentric principles position the basis of being human to the interconnections between eachother, the natural environment and other living things (Adomakoet al., 2025). Moreover, being human is connected to relating positively to others in the community and environment (Udah et al., 2025). It also emphasizes that “a person is a person because of others – and thereby, through supporting others a person enhances their life quality” (Udah et al., 2025). These principles are currently missing in a context where institutions, policies and laws have emerged from white supremacy capitalist patriarchy. Prevention for intimate partner violence looks like reorganizing systems such as employment, education,child welfare, social services and the criminal justice system to meaningfully take up equity and prioritize community wellbeing. System changes would involve consulting Black communities, advocates and scholars to identify policies and procedures that are systemically disenfranchising Black communities and replacing them with policies that are anti-racist and champion equity. Furthermore, governments need to adequately fund scholars and practitioners who are deeply engaging in work that centers Black Afrocentric paradigms. Moreover, there must be more opportunities and resources for Black communities to lead, organize, develop, and implement African Black methodologies to provide viable alternatives to current ‘traditional’ theoretical approaches to working with and supporting families with a history of IPV. Subsequently, these programs would be intentional in considering intergenerational trauma and the collective healing that is required to untangle the violence Black people have experienced over centuries. Lastly, these paradigms would call in various members of the family and community to understand their own histories, understand and rethink their coping mechanisms, manage stress and navogate systemic barriers.
Building Healing Spaces
Today, healing spaces such as community led-programming, Black community centers and gatherings that aim to bring Black communities together to share resources, networks, and knowledge are essential for connection, collective care and healing (Grills et al.,2009). These spaces can empower community members through traditional teachings such as Ubuntu and strengthen community wellbeing through the reclamation of African values, practices and belief systems (Grills et al., 2025). Within this framework healing may manifest through talking circles, knowledge sharing and an expression of self, allowing individuals to voice their experiences, emotions and ideas. Moreover, these conversations can be witnessed by others in their community and addressed collectively (Grills et al., 2025). These circles would be facilitated by trusted and respected members of the community who are grounded in traditional African frameworks like Ubuntu, to emphasize relational accountability or a collective way forward.
Ubuntu like other Africentric practices and systems should be explored as tools to be reclaimed by Black communities to actively engage in the work required to end intimate partner violence and foster wellbeing. Without embracing collective healing progress may continue to be stagnant in our fight to end violence against women. Thus, it continues to be important to dismantle and decolonize the systems that maintain violence and realize equitable and healing environments for Black families and communities.
