Sexual Health Interventions for Black Women in the United States: A Systematic Review of Literature By: Samuella Ware, Shemeka Thorpe, and Amanda E. Tanner Ware S, Thorpe S, & Tanner AE. (2019). Sexual Health Interventions for Black Women in the United States: A Systematic Review of Literature. International Journal of Sexual Health, 31(2), 196-215. https://doi.org/10.1080/19317611.2019.1613278 This is an Accepted Manuscript of an article published by Taylor & Francis in International Journal of Sexual Health on 24 May 2019, available online: http://www.tandfonline.com/10.1080/19317611.2019.1613278. ***© 2019 Taylor & Francis Group, LLC. Reprinted with permission. No further reproduction is authorized without written permission from Taylor & Francis. This version of the document is not the version of record. Figures and/or pictures may be missing from this format of the document. *** Abstract: Objective: The purpose of this systematic review was to identify and evaluate approaches used in sexual health interventions targeting Black women in the United States. Methods: We conducted a review of 15 sexual health intervention studies for Black women published between January 2000 and May 2017 in the United States. Results: Each intervention focused on HIV/sexually transmitted infection prevention, incorporated an asset and deficit-based approach, primarily used individual-level assets, and was effective in achieving the stated sexual health-related outcomes. Conclusions: Comprehensive sexual health interventions require further development and refinement to include more community and institutional-level assets to improve long-term sustainable change and empower Black women. Keywords: Sexual health | intervention | Black women | assets Article: Introduction Sexual stereotypes and HIV risk in the United States Black women have been stereotyped as promiscuous, “Jezebels,” and sexual delinquents (Hicks, 2009). The view that Black women’s sexuality is problematic and they are promiscuous has been presented by many great philosophers and thinkers (Smedley & Smedley, 2005; West, 2002). Since slavery, Black women’s sexuality has been policed by Western standards of sexual behaviors and limited in the ways it could be expressed with the autonomy of their bodies in others’ control (Staples, 2006). Even religion, an important staple within the Black community, placed restrictions on women’s sexual expression, labeling it as “sinful” (Staples, 2006). Lorde supported this by stating that “sexual hostility against Black women is practiced not only by