Stolen Women: Reclaiming Our Sexuality, Taking Back Our Lives

As a case manager at a parole re-entry program, I come into daily contact with Black females and males who are trapped in the domestic violence cycle. As I facilitate case management life skills groups, I hear the sincere but flawed logic that attempts to justify the violent abuse and victimization. Dr. Wyatt effectively utilizes historical perspective and qualitative research to inspire women of color to... "reclaim their bodies."

Dr. Wyatt writes an amazing book that not only describes the findings of her surveys and case studies, but also relates the information from her own personal perspective as a black woman. Using hundreds of conversations with real black women, Wyatt presents pictures of both successful women and women who are still in crisis. She takes factual surveys and compares black women and white women in order to debunk stereotypes. Along with her factual information, Wyatt uses her expertise as a psychologist to offer ways in which black women can improve their lives and the lives of their children. I especially liked the way she encourages women of color to educate themselves and their children. The one critique I would have would be that I wish she had written a bit more about her mathematical analyses. For example, she says that black women on average have fewer partners than white women. Is this a mean average or a median average? (A mean average would seem to me to be--no pun intended--less meaningful since a few very active women could drive the average up.) And were all surveys taken into account, or were some results deemed to be outliers?I strongly recommend this book. Dr. Wyatt truly understands self-empowerment, and she preaches a message that people need to hear.

I thought this book was excellent. As noted in the synopses, black women have been historically ostracized from such mainstream psychological research studies and it only refreshing for this group to finally be addressed, attended to and evaluated by such an intelligent, educated Black women, PhD. Her unprecendented conclusive evalutions provide us with a new voice in the realm of Black, Female Sexuality in a technical, medical and empirical sense, that each of us can identify with. The author, a PhD, also displays the necessary components, (i.e. character, concern for urban society, education, intellect) for a modern day role model. Praise to Dr. Gail Wyatt!

I read Dr. Wyatt's book and found it fascinating. The book discusses the history of black women and their sexuality over the past 400 years and shows how this relates to current problems today. I especially liked the personal stories by women struggling to find themselves and happiness in their relationships. This is a great book for all women regardless of ethnicity or age. Also good for moms and daughters.