Tina Turner: the singer’s resilience and defiance were typical of a survivor of intimate partner abuse

• But as we mourn her passing, it’s worth noting that Tina was also a model survivor of intimate partner violence.
• In 1981, following her split from husband Ike Turner, Tina Turner began to speak openly about the years of abuse she had endured during their marriage.
• Turner is rightly held up as a trailblazer for speaking publicly about her experience of intimate partner violence.
• What makes Turner’s escape inspiring is the many layers of threat she faced and resisted beyond physical violence.

A strong (and vulnerable) black woman

• Research has repeatedly found that intersectional issues are faced by black women who speak out and seek support for abuse.
• Intersectionality describes multiple challenges or disadvantages faced by an individual with overlapping social identities, such as being a black woman.
• Speaking out publicly as a black woman was complex for Turner, and as other black women have expressed, her bravery and steadfastness has inspired many others to follow suit.

More than a survivor

• In this regard, she is typical of a survivor of abuse, not an exception.
• Stereotypes of abuse victims as weak and submissive often lead to popular coverage which assumes that victimhood dominates a survivor’s social identity.
• What they mean as they discuss their circumstances is that they are so much more than the stereotypical “victim” of domestic abuse.