Sexual and Domestic Violence within the Christian Community

Sexual and domestic violence within the Christian community has often been ignored for years by the powers that be, and many pastors make matters worse by telling women to submit and bear it, while the abusing men are often not even reprimanded, much less actually disciplined by the church. Women and children have been physically and sexually abused by men in the church, while those same men often move from church to church so as not to be detected, or if found out, to move on to new victims.



The church as a whole needs to recognize that telling women to submit to abuse or let their children be subjected to abuse is not the proper Christian response. II Corinthians 5 tells us that when there is someone in our midst that calls himself a Christian, yet acts in ungodly ways, we are not even to eat with them. They are to be put out of the church congregation and given over to Satan for the destruction of the flesh. The women and children who are being abused should never be told to stay in an abusive situation, but should be helped and guided along the way in their healing process.



Churches can and should provide needed resources to those who are suffering, especially women and children who often have no other avenue of escape from abusive relationships. They don’t have to encourage women to divorce their husbands, but they can encourage them to remove themselves and their children from an abusive environment and get counseling for the whole family. If the husband continues in abusive behavior patterns even after being confronted by church leaders, then he should be properly disciplined by the church and put out of the congregation until such time as he shows the fruits of repentance.



Women who suffer rape and other sexual offences, children who suffer childhood sexual abuse, and teens who suffer date rape all need someone who loves and cares for them enough to do something about it. People are obligated by law to report any suspected child abuse, and the church is no place to neglect that law. Suspected domestic violence should also be reported, as the victim no longer has to be the one to press charges. The Police can press charges without the victims consent.



Churches can no longer hide their heads in the sand and pretend these things don’t happen in Christian homes and families. They do. Every church in Hattiesburg, MS and the rest of this country should be willing to make a stand for the weakest and lowliest of their flock.