Domestic violence is pervasive, as insidious and bone-chilling as the San Francisco fog that envelops the Bay Area daily—yet many are unaware of it, especially within the church. The upcoming “Coming Out of the Fog” conference on domestic violence plans to change that.
Globally, 1 in 3 women has been beaten, raped, or otherwise physically abused, according to the World Health Organization. Over 50 surveys have been done in countries around the world to study the prevalence of violence against women, yet men can also be abused, as well. In the U.S., over 10 million people are physically abused by an intimate partner—at a rate of 20 people per minute, according to the CDC. Abuse can be physical, sexual, verbal, financial, or spiritual, and its effects can be long-lasting.
And the church is not immune to domestic violence, although many falsely believe it to be. One study found that more than 35% of pastors surveyed believed the incidence of domestic violence within their congregations was less than 5%. Physical abuse has occurred in many as 1 in 4 Christian marriages, yet couples in the church often hide the fact that their partners are abusive.
On Saturday, August 4th 2018, from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., clergy members, survivors, advocates, abuse experts, pastor’s wives, and researchers will gather to explore the issue of domestic violence and how the church can address it more effectively. Sadly, less than 1 in 20 churches in America offer formal programs to help victims of abuse. But 81% of pastors in a recent survey report they would “take appropriate action to reduce sexual and domestic violence if they had the training and resources.”
This conference will be the third such event planned by Marsha Hattley, President of From Storm to Rainbow Ministries. Ms. Hattley will be teaming up with Reen Leal of i am WOMAN in presenting this upcoming Oakland conference, hosted by First Emmanuel Community Church of God, located at 6015 Foothill Blvd in Oakland, California. Attendance is free, but registration is required: https://comingoutofthefogwomensconferencedomesticviolence.eventbrite.com
Victims experiencing abuse are encouraged to call the National Domestic Violence hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (75233) or 10-800-797-3224 for TTY access.
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