Exploring Women’s Spiritual Struggles and Resources to Cope with Intimate Partner Aggression

Abstract

Theologians and social scientists alike have expressed concerns that some Christian men lean on passages from the New Testament like those above to justify domestic violence against their wives. These verses may also be used to encourage survivors to endure spousal abuse to avoid a divorce. Yet, religion and spirituality encompass more than men or women relying on narrow interpretations of any religious tradition's scriptures to defend violent behavior in a marriage. Rather, religion and spirituality can be part of the problem or the solution when problems arise when women date, live with, or marry abusive men. in this chapter, we illustrate the dual-edged potential for religion to trigger spiritual struggles and to offer spiritual resources to women coping with being in an intimate relationship with a physically violent man. Our primary audience of interest includes social service providers, and mental health counselors who want to address helpful and harmful manifestations of faith when they assist women involved in ongoing romantic relationships involving situational interpersonal violence. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved) (Source: chapter)