Did you know that every 9 seconds in the United States, a woman is assaulted or beaten? Or that on average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States?
In Awareness for Church Folk, Dr. Arthuree McLaughlin Wright, a deacon in the Baltimore-Washington Conference, a volunteer with Women’s & Children’s Advocacy of the General Board of Church & Society, and a member of Gethsemane United Methodist Church in Capitol Heights explores the relationship between religion and the advocacy for the abolition of Domestic Abuse.
October is Domestic Violence Awareness Month. It calls us to reflect upon the societal ills that lead to isolation, loss of self-esteem, alienation, financial dependency, shame, and interpersonal violence. While domestic violence is a crime whose victims are largely women and children, it is regarded as a substantial public-health problem with multiple and serious consequences and costs for entire families and communities, regardless of ethnic, racial or economic background.
What are the ramifications of our belief in sacred worth for all people as spiritual offspring of John Wesley who claim the world as their parish and brand their churches as places with open doors, open minds and open hearts?
