Part of a series on |
Violence against women |
---|
Issues |
Acid throwing · Breast ironing Bride-buying · Bride burning Dating violence · Domestic violence Dowry death · Honor killing Female genital mutilation (Gishiri cutting · Infibulation) Foot binding · Forced prostitution Human trafficking · Marital rape Murder of pregnant women Rape · Sati · Sexual slavery Sexual violence Violence against prostitutes |
Category |
Violence against women |
Other |
Outline of related topics |
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.
Contents |
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]
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]
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]
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.
Thy desire [shall be] to thy husband, and he shall rule over thee. 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]
Husbands, love your wives, and do not be harsh with them. Colossians 3:19.[9]
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.[11]
There is a variety of responses, though, by religious leaders in how victims should handle abuse.
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.[29]
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.[30]
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.[31] | |
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.[31] | |
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.[31] | |
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.[32] A governmental Forced Marriage Unit provides services for 300 cases of forced marriage a year.[33] 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.[34] | |
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.[35] | The legal definition of domestic abuse has been expanded in Guatemala to include both psychological abuse and economic violence.[36] |
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.[35]
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.[37] |
|
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.[32] | |
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.[38] | |
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.[31] | |
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.[31] | 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.[36] The Peru Penal Code was amended to no longer provide impunity (legal protection) to men who married the women that they raped.[39] |
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.[38]
Shelter, home visits, counselling and legal services are offered by Gabriela, a Non-governmental organization (NGO) to domestic violence victims.[40] |
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.[41] |
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.[31] | 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.[36] |
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.[31] | |
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.[38] | |
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.[31] | |
(See also External links below)
|