Violence Against Women; How the Church Should Respond
The disturbing video of the assault by former Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice brings the issue of domestic violence into full view. It also raises questions about why some women stay with their abusers and how churches should respond.
According to author and counselor, June Hunt, “In an abusive relationship, both partners bring emotional deficits into the relationship creating an unhealthy dynamic.” She is the author of Domestic Violence: Assault on a Woman’s Worth (Rose Publishing/Aspire Press).
The victims of abuse are predominately women — 86% of the time. The big question is why many of these women refuse to leave an abusive relationship. Why do they stand by their man even when there is video of a violent assault, a swollen face or bruises? According to Hunt, “She doesn’t leave because of what she firmly believes and falsely feels. She may feel she has no real worth or value or that she doesn’t have a biblical right to leave. Many women who suffer abuse are disheartened, confused and distressed.”
In her book, Hunt identifies ten false beliefs and ten false feelings and fears. The long term effect of abuse is the damage it does to a woman’s self worth. While abusers can and do change, it often happens only when a woman builds healthy boundaries and stops excusing his behavior. In Abuse to Favor, another title by Rose Publishing/Aspire Press, Michelle Borquez reminds us that that moving from victim to survivor is a process. This means disempowering the hold that the abuse has had over you.
For those women who wonder if they are in an abusive relationship, Abuse to Favor identifies the physical, sexual, verbal, and emotional components. “In many cases,” says Borquez, “the victim will sacrifice her views, thoughts, and desires in order to keep herself safe from her partner’s behavior.” According to Hunt, churches can encourage women in abusive relationships to leave their abusers. “Taking that crucial step to curtail the cycle of abuse benefits everyone involved and ushers in the opportunity for a fresh new beginning.”
(Source: Christian Newswire)
