(1888 PressRelease) New book examines unique cultural and social factors that play a role in African-American separation and divorce.
Chicago, IL - Divorce is an all-too-common reality in our world today, with more than half of all African-American marriages in the U.S. now ending in divorce. A new book by prominent Chicago African-American family attorney Lester L. Barclay examines this state of affairs and offers solutions to minimize the after effects of divorce. The African-American Guide to Divorce & Drama: Breaking Up Without Breaking Down provides strategies to weather divorce more gracefully, causing less drama and disruption for all parties touched by this stressful life event, especially for the children.
"Though partners may fail at marriage, they need not also fail at divorce," counsels Attorney Barclay. He notes the unique cultural components underlying most African-American divorces and separations. These black cultural and social factors often exacerbate the "drama" of divorce in the black cultural experience:
• The reluctance of some black people to seek or submit to mental health therapy for themselves or their children
• The very significant role of African-American churches and ministers in the lives and experiences of many divorce litigants, a role acknowledged by many judges
• The high unemployment rate among black men, a cultural and social reality affecting child support payments which often must be spread to multiple children of different mothers
• The high rate of black male incarceration that impacts relationships, marriages, divorce and child-related issues
• Domestic violence and abuse among African-Americans that is unreported or insufficiently dealt with by authorities and that affects the emotional state and best interests of children
• A matriarchal family structure in the