Discussion. Do Churches Promote Violence Against Women?

Baptist preachers are disturbingly mum when it comes to domestic abuse. Furthermore, since these churches aren’t part of the solution, they may be part of the problem.

According to a recent survey, nearly 60 percent of pastors “rarely” or “never” speak about domestic violence from the pulpit. Perhaps more disturbingly, less than half of the preachers surveyed were trained to help these victims.

One author speculates that the church culture may have some bearing on the silence. Autumn Miles states that she was in an abusive relationship for approximately seven years. Her father was the senior pastor of the church she attended. The church body steadfastly refused to discipline her husband even after the allegations of abuse surfaced. Her father was eventually fired for supporting his daughter, who was threatened with expulsion from the church because she filed for divorce.

As founder of The Blush Network, Ms. Miles says she hears similar stories from many other women.

Relief for Victims in Texas

Preachers may or may not be doing much to combat spousal and partner abuse in their congregations, but violence against women is a serious problem in the United States. 20 people per minute are the victims of physical violence inflicted by an intimate partner. Women in Kingwood have a number of legal options. Speak with an attorney today about some of the possibilities.

• Protective Order: These orders commonly forbid your husband from contacting you, either in person or over the phone. He must also stay away from schools or day-cares where your children are enrolled. Some judges may even allow you to forcibly remove him from the house.
• Pre-Divorce Support: In addition to temporary child support, the judge may order temporary spousal support that allows you to pay property deposits and moving expenses, put your children in day-care so you can work, and pay attorneys’ fees.
• Post-Divorce Support: After the divorce is final, the judge may continue the support payments for several months. You can go back to school to get a better job, or take the kids and move to a new city for a fresh start.
• Visitation: It is rare for a judge to deny visitation to a father. But it is not uncommon, especially if there is documented abuse, for the visitation periods to be limited to a few hours a week at a supervised location, so you and your kids will be safer.

Generally speaking, it’s possible to prove you need this relief. Long and costly court battles are not necessary in many cases where domestic violence has been an issue.

No one should have to suffer through domestic violence.