Christianity and domestic violence

This article is about Christianity and domestic violence. For other related topics, see Outline of domestic violence.

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The correlation between Christianity and domestic violence is subject to debate, partly because there have been few studies to correlate the two, and complicated by a culture of silence and acceptance among abuse victims. There are some Bible verses that abusers use to justify discipline of their wives. A United Nations report on violence against women shows domestic abuse rates vary considerably among countries with a high majority of Christian people.

Definition of Domestic Violence

Main article: Domestic violence

According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary definition, domestic violence is: "the inflicting of physical injury by one family or household member on another; also: a repeated or habitual pattern of such behavior."^[1]

Kofi Annan, Secretary-General of the United Nations, declared in a 2006 report posted on the United Nations Development Fund for Women (UNIFEM) website that:

Violence against women and girls is a problem of pandemic proportions. At least one out of every three women around the world has been beaten, coerced into sex, or otherwise abused in her lifetime with the abuser usually someone known to her.^[2]

Women in Christianity

Main article: Gender roles in Christianity

As of the early 21st century, Christianity has around 2.1 billion adherents.^[3][4][5] The faith represents nearly one-third of the world's population and is the largest religion in the world, with approximately 38,000 Christian denominations.^[6] Christians have composed about 33 percent of the world's population for around 100 years. The largest Christian denomination is the Roman Catholic Church, with 1.17 billion adherents, representing half of all Christians.^[7]

Christian groups and authorities generally condemn domestic violence as counter to the general Christian duty to love others and to the scriptural relationship between husband and wife.^[8]

Degree of equality

Both men and women were created in His image, as equal partners with distinctively different roles. Genesis 1:27.

Bible verses that give credence to patriarchy:

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Ephesians 5:22-24.^[9]

According to the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, "Men who abuse often use Ephesians 5:22, taken out of context, to justify their behavior, but the passage (v. 21-33) refers to the mutual submission of husband and wife out of love for Christ. Husbands should love their wives as they love their own body, as Christ loves the Church."^[10]

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered. 1 Peter 3:7.^[11]

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. 1 Timothy 2:11

Some Christian theologians, such as the Rev. Marie Fortune and Mary Pellauer, have raised the question of a close connection between patriarchal Christianity and domestic violence and abuse.^[12][13] Steven Tracy, author of "Patriarchy and Domestic Violence" writes: "While patriarchy may not be the overarching cause of all abuse, it is an enormously significant factor, because in traditional patriarchy males have a disproportionate share of power... So while patriarchy is not the sole explanation for violence against women, we would expect that male headship would be distorted by insecure, unhealthy men to justify their domination and abuse of women."^[14]

Few empirical studies have examined the relationship between religion and domestic violence,^[15] however, four major surveys of wife assault found no causal relationship between men raised in a "patriarchal system" and incidence of wife assault,^{[nb 1]} and faith groups endorsing hierarchical marital structures do not appear to report higher rates of interpersonal violence.^{[nb 2][16][17][18][19][20]} and from his study in 1988, no single factor explanation for wife assault was sufficient to explain the available data.^{[nb 3]} A study by Dutton and Browning in the same year found that misogyny is correlated with only a minority of abusive male partners.^{[nb 4]} Campbell's study in 1992 found no evidence of greater violence towards women in more patriarchal cultures. Pearson's study in 1997 observed "Studies of male batterers have failed to confirm that these men are more conservative or sexist about marriage than violent men".^{[nb 5][16]}

In Responding to Domestic Abuse, a report issued by the Church of England in 2006, suggests that patriarchy should be replaced rather than reinterpreted: "Following the pattern of Christ means that patterns of domination and submission are being transformed in the mutuality of love, faithful care and sharing of burdens. ‘Be subject to one another out of reverence for Christ’(Ephesians 5.21). Although strong patriarchal tendencies have persisted in Christianity, the example of Christ carries the seeds of their displacement by a more symmetrical and respectful model of male–female relations."^[21]

Bible

Verses that support discipline

I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man; she must be silent. 1 Timothy 2:12.

A woman should learn in quietness and full submission. (Separate or isolate) 1 Timothy 2:11.

The teachers of the law and the Pharisees brought in a woman caught in adultery. They made her stand before the group and said to Jesus, "Teacher, this woman was caught in the act of adultery. In the Law Moses commanded us to stone such women. Now what do you say?" John 8:3-5.

The husband has authority to discipline the wife. The wife does not have authority to discipline her husband. Genesis 3:16.

Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Hebrews 12:11.

Bible verses are often used to justify domestic abuse, such as those that refer to male superiority and female submission, but use of violence is a misintepretted view of the male role.^[8] For instance, Eve (Genesis 2-3), is often misinterpretted, particularly by Christians, to be disobedient to patriarchal God and man, and to many a generalized symbol of womanhood that must be submissive and subject to discipline.^[22]

There are some Christians who believe that it is the man's duty and right to discipline his wife, ususally by spanking, such as the consensual Christian Domestic Discipline (CDD).^[23][24][25]

Verses that do not support beating

Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19.^[26]

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. 1 Corinthians 13:4-7.^[27]

Undesirability of beating

There is a variety of responses, though, by religious leaders in how victims should handle abuse.

• Marjorie Proctor-Smith in "Violence against women and children: a Christian Theologocial Sourcebook" states that domestic physical, psychological or sexual violence is a sin. It victimizes family members dependent on a man and violates trust needed for healthy, equitable and cooperative relationships. She finds that domestic violence is symptom of sexism, a social sin.^[28]
• The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops said in 2002, "As pastors of the Catholic Church in the United States, we state as clearly and strongly as we can that violence against women, inside or outside the home, is never justified."^[10]
• The Church of England's report, Responding to Domestic Abuse advises that Christian pastors and counselors should not advise victims to make forgiving the perpetrator the top priority "when the welfare and safety of the person being abused are at stake."^[21]
• Significant numbers of Christian pastors ordinarily would tell a woman being abused that she should continue to submit and to "trust that God would honor her action by either stopping the abuse or giving her the strength to endure it" and would never advise a battered wife to leave her husband or separate because of abuse.^[29] One mid-1980s survey of 5,700 pastors found that 26 percent of pastors ordinarily would tell a woman being abused that she should continue to submit and to "trust that God would honor her action by either stopping the abuse or giving her the strength to endure it" and that 71 percent of pastors would never advise a battered wife to leave her husband or separate because of abuse.^[29][30]

A contributing factor to the disparity of responses to abuse is lack of training, many Christian seminaries had not educated future church leaders about how to manage violence against women. Once pastors began receiving training, and announced their participation in domestic violence educational programs, they immediately began receiving visits from women church members who had been subject to violence. The first Theological Education and Domestic Violence Conference, sponsored by the Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence, was held in 1985 to identify topics that should be covered in seminaries. First, church leaders will encounter sexual and domestic violence and they need to know what community resources are available. Secondly, they need to focus on ending the violence, rather than on keeping families together.^[31]

Incidence of domestic violence among Christians

Christianity - Percentage by country

Christian women are often silent and accepting of any domestic violence that they may suffer. In the 1970s when programs were initiated to train church leaders about domestic violence, But no one ever comes to me with this problem was the most common response. Church leaders often believed that if no one was reaching out for assistance within the church that there was no problem in their church, however, women often withheld discussing their problems over concern that it would not be handled appropriately. When women became pastors they found that much of their time became devoted to handling domestic abuse and other forms of violence against women; Their involvement included crisis intervention.^[32]

Among all Christians, 37.5% live in the Americas (11.4% in the United States), 25.7% live in Europe, 22.5% live in Africa, 13.1% live in Asia, 1.2% live in Oceania and 0.9% live in the Middle East.

The following information is for some of the countries with 92% and more Christians in their total population.

Nation	Abuse	Laws and prosecution
Barbados	30% of the women (age 20-45) in a UN national study in 1990, whether previously partnered with someone or not, were victims of domestic abuse during some period of their life. Since the findings represent a population that included people who had not been in a relationship, the rate of domestic violence may have been higher.[33]
Dominican Republic	11% of the women (age 15-49) in a UN national study in 2002, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 22% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[33]
Ecuador	From a United Nations (UN) study, 12% of the women (age 15-49) were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period.[33]
Great Britain and Ireland	A study of North London in 1993 found that 12% of women (age > 16) in a UN national study in 1997, who had or had not been in relationships, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 30% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life. In a national study in 2001, 3% of women (age 16-59), who had or had not been in relationships, were victims of domestic violence within the past 12 months. 19% had been subject to domestic abuse since age 16. Because the results include women who had not been in relationships, the incidence of domestic abuse may have been higher than the reported statistics.[34] A governmental Forced Marriage Unit provides services for 300 cases of forced marriage a year.[35] The government finds that the cost of domestic violence is about £440 per person for a total of 23 billion pounds sterling (£) per year, including the costs of health care, housing, justice, legal, social services and lost output, pian and suffering.[36]
Guatemala	8% of the women (age 15-49) in a UN national study in 2002, who recently had a partner, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. Studies of women who had been murdered in Guatemala showed a high incidence of domestic violence, honor killings, or dowry disputes as the cause of death. The victims in were also often victims of sexual attacks at the time of their murder.[37]	The legal definition of domestic abuse has been expanded in Guatemala to include both psychological abuse and economic violence.[38]
Mexico	From a 1996 UN study on violence against women, 27% of the women (age > 15) in Guadalajara study and 17% of the women (age > 15) in Monterrey, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic violence during some period of their life. 9% of the women (age > 15) in a UN national study in 2003, currently married or partnered, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. Studies of women who had been murdered in Mexico showed a high incidence of domestic violence, honor killings, or dowry disputes as the cause of death. The victims in were also often victims of sexual attacks at the time of their murder.[39] There had been a high incidence of abduction, rape and murder of hundreds of women over 10 year period in the Ciudad Juárez, Mexico area that were treated with impunity, treating these cases as "common acts of violence belonging to the private sphere." The UN Committee found that not investigating nor prosecuting these cases, the "most brutal manifestation [was] extreme violence against women." The solution, they found, could only be found through a global integrated approach towards social and cultural programs so that violence against women is not considered inevitable.[40]
Moldova	8% of the women (age 15-44) in a UN national study in 1997, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 15% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[34]
Papua New Guinea	67% of the women (age 15-49) in a UN national, village and rural study in 2002, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse during some period of their life.[41]
Paraguay	10% of the women (age 15-49) in a UN national study in 1995-6, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse during some period of their life. 7% of the women (age 15-44) in a UN national study in 2004, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period; 19% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[33]
Peru	Statistics from thee United Nations studies show that 2-25% of married or partnered women (15-49) were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 42-62% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life. The studies were performed nationally (2000) with the lowest rate of domestic violence, Lima (2001) and Cusco (2001) with the highest rate of domestic violence.[33]	The Convention of Belém do Pará resulted in review and revision of some of Peru's domestic violence laws to fit good practices for protecting women from violence.[38] The Peru Penal Code was amended to no longer provide impunity (legal protection) to men who married the women that they raped.[42]
Philippines	10% of pregnant women (age 15-49) who participated in a UN national study in 1993 were subject to domestic violence during some period of their life. In 1998 in Cagayan de Oro City and Bukidnon, 26% of currently married or partnered women (age 15-49) were subject to domestic violence during some period of their life. 6% of the pregnant women (age 15-49) who participated in a UN national study in 2004 were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 21% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[41] Shelter, home visits, counselling and legal services are offered by Gabriela, a Non-governmental organization (NGO) to domestic violence victims.[43]	The Anti-Violence against Women and Their Children Act of 2004 was enacted in the Philippines to criminalize acts of several forms of domestic violence (physical, economic, sexual, and physchological), create a inter-agency council to develop domestic abuse programs, allow courts to issue temporary protection orders and mandate that rural village officials provide protection to victims.[44]
Puerto Rico	13% of the women (age 15-49), who participated in a UN national study in 1995-6, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse during some period of their life.[33]	The Convention of Belém do Pará resulted in review and revision of some of Puerto Rico's domestic violence laws to fit good practices for protecting women from violence.[38]
Romania	10% of the women (age 15-44) who participated in a UN national study in 1999, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 29% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[33]
Samoa	From a UN national study in 2000, 18% of the women (age 15-49) studied, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 41% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[41]
Zambia	19% of the women (age 15-49) who participated in a UN national study in 2001-2, who are or have been married, were victims of domestic abuse within the previous 12 month period. 47% of the women had been subject to domestic violence during some period of their life.[33]

See also

• Biblical patriarchy
• Domestic violence
• Domestic violence in the United States
• Islam and domestic violence
• Violence against women
• Women's rights

(See also External links below)

References

Notes

1. ^ Four studies: (Straus, Gelles and Steinmetz, 1980; Schulman, 1979; Straus and Gelles, 1985; Kennedy and Dutton, 1989)."
2. ^ The rates of [Inter Personal Violence] also are not higer for faith groups that endorse hierarchical marital structures. (Brinkerhoff, Gradnin, & Lupri, 1992; Cunradi, Caetano, & Shafer, 2002; Ellison & Anderson, 2001; Ellison, Bartowski, & Anderson, 1999)."
3. ^ "During the late 1970's a number of single factor explanations for male assaultiveness toward women were proffered. These included sociobiology, psychiatric disorders and patriarchy (Dutton, 1988). Dutton argued that no single factor explanation for wife assault sufficiently explained the available data and proposed instead a nested ecological theory examining interactive effects of the broader culture (macrosystem), the subculture (exosystem), the family (microsystem) and individual characteristics (ontogeny)."
4. ^ "Only a minority of batterers are misogynistic (Dutton and Browning, 1988), and few are violent to non-intimate women; a much larger group experiences extreme anger about intimacy."
5. ^ "‘Patricia Pearson (p. 132) points out: That men have used a patriarchal vocabulary to account for themselves doesn't mean that patriarchy causes their violence, any more than being patriarchs prevents them from being victimized. Studies of male batterers have failed to confirm that these men are more conservative or sexist about marriage than nonviolent men. To the contrary, some of the highest rates of violence are found in the least orthodox partnerships — dating or cohabiting lovers."

Citations

1. ^ Domestic Violence. Merriam Webster. Retrieved 14 Nov. 2011.
2. ^ Moradian, Azad. Domestic Violence against Single and Married Women in Iranian Society. Tolerancy International. September 2009. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
3. ^ 33.2% of 6.7 billion world population (under "People") "World". CIA world facts. https://www.cia.gov/library/publications/the-world-factbook/geos/xx.html. 
4. ^ "The List: The World's Fastest-Growing Religions". foreignpolicy.com. 2007-03. http://www.foreignpolicy.com/story/cms.php?story_id=3835. Retrieved 2010-01-04. 
5. ^ "Major Religions Ranked by Size". Adherents.com. http://www.adherents.com/Religions_By_Adherents.html. Retrieved 2009-05-05. 
6. ^ Hinnells, The Routledge Companion to the Study of Religion, p. 441.
7. ^ "Universal Church sees increase in seminarians, reports Pontifical Yearbook". Catholic News Agency. Feb 20, 2010. 
8. ^ ^{a b} Tracy, Steven. "Headship with a Heart: How biblical patriarchy actually prevents abuse". Christianity Today (February 2003).
9. ^ Ephesians 5:22-33 (English Standard Version) Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
10. ^ ^{a b} "When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women". United States Conference of Catholic Bishops (November 12, 2002). ISBN 157455509X.
11. ^ Bible verses about Domestic Violence And Abuse Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
12. ^ Bonnie J. Miller-McLemore (2001). ""Let the Children Come" Revisited: Contemporary Feminist Theologians on Children". In Marcia J Bunge. The Child in Christian Thought. Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing. pp. 462. ISBN 0802846939. 
13. ^ Kroeger, Catherine Clark Kroeger; Beck, James Beck (ed). (1996). Women, Abuse and the Bible. Grand Rapids: Baker.
14. ^ Tracy, Steven. (2007). Patriarchy and Domestic Violence: Challenging Common Misconceptions. Journal of the Evangelical Theological Society. 50(3):580-583.
15. ^ Wilcox, William Bradford. Soft Patriarchs, New Men: How Christianity Shapes Fathers and Husbands. University of Chicago Press (2004), p181-82. ISBN 0226897095.
16. ^ ^{a b} Correy, ‘The Role Of Patriarchy In Domestic Violence’ (2002).
17. ^ Sugerman, D. B. Sugerman; Frankel, S. L. (1996). Patriarchal Ideology and Wife-Assault: A Meta-Analytic Review. Journal of Family Violence. 11: 13-40.
18. ^ Battaglia, Lisa Jeanne. (2001) Conservative Protestant Ideology and Wife Abuse: Reflections on the Discrepancy between Theory and Data. Journal of Religion and Abuse. 2: 31-45.
19. ^ Patriarchy And Abuse: No Direct Link, Journal for Biblical Manhood and Womanhood (2.2), 1996.
20. ^ Dutton, Donald G. (1994). Patriarchy and Wife Assault: The Ecological Fallacy. Violence and Victims 9(2): 167-82.
21. ^ ^{a b} The Archbishops' Council. "Responding to Domestic Abuse: Guidelines for those with pastoral responsibilities". Church House Publishing (2006), p19. ISBN 100715141082.
22. ^ Adams, Carol J.; Fortune, Mary M. (1998). Violence against women and children: a Christian Theologocial Sourcebook. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Pages 92-3. ISBN 0-8264-0830-3.
23. ^ Christian Domestic Discipline. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
24. ^ Kelley, Leah. (2010) Understanding Christian Domestic Discipline. Create Space. ISBN 1456447718.
25. ^ Markham, Jules. (2007). Domestic Discipline. Adlibbed Limited. ISBN 189731244X.
26. ^ Ephesians 5:22-33 (English Standard Version) Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
27. ^ Bible verses about Domestic Violence And Abuse Bible Gateway. Retrieved 2011-11-17.
28. ^ Adams, Carol J.; Fortune, Mary M. (1998). Violence against women and children: a Christian Theologocial Sourcebook. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Pages 428-9. ISBN 0-8264-0830-3.
29. ^ ^{a b} Alsdurf, James and Alsdurf, Phyllis, Battered into Submission, Wipf and Stock, 1998, as cited in Tracy, Steven, "Headship with a Heart: How biblical patriarchy actually prevents abuse", Christianity Today, February 2003, accessed January 24, 2007
30. ^ Grady, J. Lee "Control Freaks, and the Women Who Love Them". New Man magazine (Jan/Feb 2001).
31. ^ Adams, Carol J.; Fortune, Mary M. (1998). Violence against women and children: a Christian Theologocial Sourcebook. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Page 10. ISBN 0-8264-0830-3.
32. ^ Adams, Carol J.; Fortune, Mary M. (1998). Violence against women and children: a Christian Theologocial Sourcebook. New York: The Continuum Publishing Company. Page 9, 428. ISBN 0-8264-0830-3.
33. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h} In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 53. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
34. ^ ^{a b} In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 55. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
35. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 40. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
36. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 52. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
37. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 53, 66. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
38. ^ ^{a b c} In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 86. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
39. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 53, 66. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
40. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 76, 77. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
41. ^ ^{a b c} In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 54. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
42. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 87. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
43. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 94. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.
44. ^ In-depth study on all forms of violence against women. United Nations, General Assembly. 6 July 2006. Page 88. Retrieved 16 Nov. 2011.

External links

• FaithTrust Institute (formerly Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence), a multifaith, multicultural training and education organization in the United States with global reach working to end sexual and domestic violence.