Listen Live
Fantastic Voyage Generic Graphics Updated Nov 2023
Black America Web Featured Video
CLOSE

Diddy and Lori Harvey’s supposed relationship has been crating a lot of talk about if that relationship is appropriate or not. Lori is 22 and Diddy is 49, that’s a 27 year age gap. Jacque Reid goes Inside Her Story with Kenyette Barnes, co founder of #MuteRKelly who believes that there are serious issues with these types of relationships.

Barnes says that her feelings are not just her personal feelings ,”this is actually backed up by the data.” A number of studies found that in these relationships the young women and girls are at higher risk of higher rates to HIV, pregnancy and abortion, partner violence or sex trafficking.

These relationships are mentally harmful also and many of these young women and girls have a history of childhood abuse. Barnes says studies show that these young woman are often looking for approval from a much older man due to an absent father. But, it gets “muddy” when it the relationships become sexual.

The man often has a need to have control in his intimate relationships. This need can stem from divorce or losing a partner; in these situations they didn’t have much control.

These relationships are allowed to go on often because no one says anything about it. Barnes believes that part of the reason why is because many older women see these girls as romantic competition and “why do you really want to look out for the competition?”

For Barnes the bottom line is that as we need to discuss what we’re “not discussing in our communities to allow this behavior to go on.”

HEAD BACK TO THE BLACKAMERICAWEB.COM HOMEPAGE