Domestic violence is an issue that deeply concerns me. I would like to be proven wrong, but this seems to be an area where the evangelical church has not risen to the challenge. "In fact, research has shown that Christian women stay far longer in the abusive context and in far more severe abuse than their non-Christian counterparts."1 This should not be, especially among the people of God.
So what can we do to help? Well, we can begin by:
1. Acknowledging that abuse exists, not only out there but within the homes of professing Christians. If we remain in denial, there is no one to help because they don't exist, that is at least to us. If we continue to bury our heads in the sand, the victims in our congregations will continue to suffer in silence because they know they will not be believed. Helping begins by facing reality.
2. Understanding the nature of abuse. It is about POWER and CONTROL. It is not just the need for anger management. It is not about interpersonal conflict. It is not about inadequate submission. Abuse is the desire of one human being to control another human being through whatever means achieve the result. Thus abuse is not only physical. It can be emotional, verbal, spiritual, financial, or sexual. However, the abuser sees nothing wrong or sinful in this behavior and may have a strong sense of entitlement. The following video refutes common myths about the nature of abuse, the abuser, and the victim.
I hope to post more on domestic abuse this month, so stay tuned. Even though I am only a small voice in the blogsphere, I can still speak up.
1. Is It My Fault?: Hope and Healing for Those Suffering Domestic Violence, Justin Holcomb, Lindsey Holcomb, Moody Publishers, 2014, pg. 127.
Thanks for speaking-up, Persis. I wasn't aware of the statistic concerning Christian women staying in abusive relationships longer than their non-Christian counterparts. I look forward to your upcoming posts.
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