I briefly watched a program, Q&A, on the ABC network on May 4.  It was a program led by Tony Jones with panel members including Peter Singer, Greg Hunt, Mark Butler, Amanda Vanstone, and Adrienne Truscott.  They discussed various topics, in particular, environmental and domestic violence issues.  I watched it just for about 5 minutes and could not possibly know the whole range of their talks.  However, within that five minutes, I was stunned by the serious nature of their talks about domestic violence and rape issues against women.  As Mother’s Day was looming, I decided to look into this matter from more factual point of view, and if there is any more space in this article, I would write something about mothers in the Bible.  I hope that this article will raise the level of our alertness and awareness against any violence and abuses against women.  I checked a few government and ANROWS’s websites (Australia’s National Research Organization for Women’s Safety).

As I was sitting before my computer screen and checking the daily news articles, I found the following news: “LEILA Alavi was turned away from a dozen places of refuge before she was stabbed to death with a pair of scissors.  Her story is not as unusual as we’d like to think.  Jenna Price, along with others, has undertaken the grim task of compiling a list of all the Australian women who die violent deaths. Most are victims of domestic violence.  The project, Counting Dead Women, has already recorded 34 deaths this year . . . . Ms Price says it’s devastating that large sections of the community appear to ‘accept’ violence against women as a fact of life - particularly in the wake of Sunday’s much-publicised fight involving boxer Floyd Mayweather, who has a long record of domestic violence.  ‘I wonder if all the people who watched that fight yesterday realised that he was able to get lots of practice hitting his wife,’ Ms Price tells news.com.au.  ‘I would not pay to watch that man, I would not employ him ... He should not be celebrated, he should be despised.’  Instead of being viewed as hero, Ms Price said Mayweather should be seen for what he is.  ‘So he's not this great guy ... He has used his power to abuse her.’

Mr Mayweather, the world’s highest-paid athlete, will earn more than $100 million from the fight.  Ms Price commented on the violence inflicted upon women ahead of a community vigil for Linda Locke, the 34th woman to die in domestic-violence related assault this year.  Ms Locke, 51, died in hospital two days after suffering serious head injuries, serious bruising and a collapsed lung. Her de facto partner, Jamie Walker, has been charged with assault occasioning grievous harm” (http://www.news.com.au/lifestyle/real-life/counting-dead-women-the-issue-we-need-to-talk-about/story-fnq2o7dd-1227335961858).  If we calculate the number of victims, we shall know that at least two women are killed every week in Australia.  If we include all forms of abuses like sexual and physical abuses and violence, the number will be staggering.

Look at the seriousness of violence against women.  A paper, “Domestic, family and sexual violence in Australia: an overview of the issues,” says, “The most comprehensive data collection on homicide in Australia which provides details of victims, offenders and the circumstances of incidents, comes through the National Homicide Monitoring Program (NHMP) at the Australian Institute of Criminology (AIC). Of the 185 domestic homicides recorded between July 2008 and July 2010, 66 per cent were classified as intimate partner homicides.  Three in every five Australian homicides during this period occurred in a residential location (61 per cent)—the majority in the victim’s home. Domestic homicides accounted for just over half (53 per cent) of these incidents.  This suggests the most likely scenario for the homicide of an Australian woman is at home at the hands of an intimate partner” (http://www.aph.gov.au/About_Parliament/Parliamentary_Departments/Parliamentary_Library/pubs/rp/rp1415/ViolenceAust#_Toc401045313).  We must pay attention to the fact that 61% of such heinous crimes are committed at residential locations, i.e. homes.  If these crimes are happening at homes by their intimate partners (boyfriends, partners, or husbands, who committed the 66 per cent of the crimes), we know that their homes are not safe anymore and that their spouses and partners are the most dangerous people.  What a sad picture it surely is!  It is totally a different picture of home, marriage, and love from the biblical models.  Even greater sadness must come into our hearts by knowing that Christian homes and families are not immune to violence and abuses.

This paper continues to say, “Domestic violence has severe and persistent effects on physical and mental health. Using burden of disease methodology, VicHealth determined that domestic violence was the leading risk factor contributing to death, disability and illness in Victorian women  aged 15 to 44 years.  Physical injury is common as a result of domestic violence. Two in every five women in the International Violence Against Women Study (IVAWS) who experienced intimate partner violence reported that they were injured in the most recent incident of violence. The most common types of injuries were bruises and swelling, cuts, scratches and burns. However, 10 per cent suffered broken bones or noses, 6 per cent sustained head or brain injuries and 6 per cent internal injuries. Some 29 per cent of those who sustained injuries were injured badly enough to require medical attention and 30 per cent of women felt that their life was in danger in the most recent incident. This was more likely for incidents involving previous partners (35 per cent) than for current partners (15 per cent).  The health consequences of domestic violence can endure long after the violence ceases.  The Australian Longitudinal Study on Women’s Health found that women who have experienced domestic violence rate their health as poorer and use health services more frequently than other women, even after they are no longer exposed to the violence. The effects of domestic violence also have a cumulative impact on a person’s mental health.  One analysis of Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) data examined associations between mental health and gender-based violence (GBV), including intimate partner physical violence.  Lifetime prevalence of intimate partner physical violence, measured by the question: ‘Were you ever badly beaten up by a spouse or romantic partner?’ was 8 per cent. Women who experienced GBV reported a higher level of severity and co-morbidity of mental disorders, increased rates of physical disorders, greater mental-health related dysfunction, general disability and impaired quality of life. Women who had experienced GBV also reported higher rates of past suicide attempts. Domestic violence also has a detrimental impact on the mental health of men who experience it. Some suggest that the stigma associated with experiences of domestic violence may be particularly marked for men and that they experience significant psychological symptoms. Domestic violence is also associated with Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and suicidal ideation.”

Then, what shall we do?  On this Mother’s Day, I would exhort and encourage our men to follow what the Scripture says to them.  1 Peter 3:7 says, “Likewise, ye husbands, dwell with them according to knowledge, giving honour unto the wife, as unto the weaker vessel, and as being heirs together of the grace of life; that your prayers be not hindered.”  We, men, give our ladies proper honour.  We consider them as weaker vessels, who require our protection, kindness, love, and affection.  We, men, are obligated to make our homes safe and to mould ourselves to be loving and caring people.  We ought to honor and respect our mothers, sisters, and spouses.  In particular, on this day, we honor our mothers who have given themselves for our well being.  Without their sacrifices, we cannot be here.  Thank God for them.  We love our mothers.

Lovingly,

Your Pastor

More Lively Hope

© Hope Bible-Presbyterian Church
14 Bedford Square, Colonel Light Gardens, South Australia 5041