Religion and Men's Violence Against Women

by Andy J. Johnson

Overview

This reference offers the nuanced understanding and practical guidance needed to address domestic violence, sexual assault, and human trafficking in diverse religious communities. Introductory chapters sort through the complexities, from abusers' distorting of sacred texts to justifying their actions to survivors' conflicting feelings toward their faith. The core of the book surveys findings on gender violence across Christian, Jewish, Islamic, Eastern, and Indigenous traditions—both attitudes that promote abuse and spiritual resources that can be used to promote healing. Best practices are included for appropriate treatment of survivors, their children, and abusers; and for partnering with communities and clergy toward stemming violence against women.

Among the topics featured:

• Ecclesiastical policies vs. lived social relationships: gender parity, attitudes, and ethics.
• Women’s spiritual struggles and resources to cope with intimate partner aggression.
• Christian stereotypes and violence against North America’s native women.
• Addressing intimate partner violence in rural church communities.
• Collaboration between community service agencies and faith-based institutions.
• Providing hope in faith communities: creating a domestic violence policy for families.

Religion and Men's Violence against Women will gain a wide audience among psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals who treat religious clients or specialize in treating survivors and perpetrators of domestic and intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault, rape, or human trafficking.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493922659
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	04/15/2015
Edition description:	2015
Pages:	474
Product dimensions:	7.01(w) x 10.00(h) x 0.04(d)

About the Author

Andy Johnson teaches at Bethel University in the graduate program in counseling psychology as well as the undergraduate programs in psychology and religious studies. His research interests are in the areas of gender violence prevention, religious predictors of domestic violence and rape myth acceptance, and trauma and resiliency. He earned an MA and Ph.D. in counseling psychology from the University of Notre Dame.

Table of Contents

I. Background.- Violence Against Women in Religious Communities: An Introduction.- Men’s Violence against Women: An Overview.- Ecclesiastical Policies vs Lived Social Relationships: Gender Parity, Attitudes, and Ethics.- Exploring Women’s Spiritual Struggles and Resources to Cope with Intimate Partner Aggression.- II. Working with Individuals within Religious Cultural Communities in the US.- “Sexual Savages:” Christian Stereotypes and Violence Against North America’s Native Women.- Violence against Women in the Orthodox Jewish Community.- A Conservative Jewish Approach to Family Violence.- Intimate Partner Violence within Church Communities of African Ancestry.- Latino Protestants: Religion, Culture, and Violence Against Women.- Eastern Orthodox Christianity and Men’s Violence Against Women.- Is There Peace within Our Walls? Intimate Partner Violence and White Mainline Protestant Churches in North America.- Addressing IPV in White Evangelical and Fundamentalist Churches.- An Anabaptist-Mennonite Perspective of Intimate Partner Violence.- The Amish Gemeinschaft Community: Pro-woman?- Addressing Intimate Partner Violence in Rural Church Communities.- Religion and Violence Against Women: The LDS Church.- Pentecostal and Charismatic Churches.- Violence Against Women in a Multiethnic Church.- Domestic Violence in Muslim Communities.- Violence Against Women through a Buddhist Lens.- Religious Syncretism and Intimate Partner Violence in the Chinese American Community.- (Un)Holy Connections? Understanding Woman Abuse in Hinduism.- Violence Against Women and Hmong Religious Beliefs.- Violence Against Women in the Sikh Community.- III. Best Practices in Working with Clergy and Religious Communities.- Consultation and Educational Programming.- Models of Collaboration between Community Service Agencies and Faith-Based Institutions.- Providing Hope in Faith Communities: Creating a Domestic Violence Policy for Families.- Conclusion.

Editorial Reviews

Reviewer: Gary B Kaniuk, PsyD (Cermak Health Services)
Description: This book explores violence against women across different religious traditions such as Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh. It discusses distorted beliefs that may have contributed to violence and ways to work with community agencies to encourage healing.
Purpose: According to the preface, the book "is concerned with empowering mental health professionals to deliver culturally sensitive interventions when working with religious clients and communities affected by MVAW (men's violence against women)."
Audience: The intended audience includes "psychologists, social workers, marriage and family therapists, and other mental health professionals who treat religious clients or specialize in treating survivors and perpetrators of domestic and intimate partner violence, stalking, sexual assault, rape, or human trafficking."
Features: The introduction notes that interpersonal violence affects all segments of society. Dysfunctional misogynistic beliefs may be subtle and tied to misinterpretation of sacred writing and religious leaders may need training to address this important problem. The book provides ways for mental health professionals to deal with spirituality and violence. Part II discusses various religious traditions and violence against women. Part III discusses ways that religious leaders can be taught to address intimate partner violence. This can occur as community agencies partner with faith-based institutions and identify needs. The book concludes with a number of best practices, including having mental health agencies address domestic violence at the individual and community level, collaboration between mental health and religious communities, and training for religious leaders and practitioners working in these communities.
Assessment: This book discusses men's violence against women within a number of religious traditions, describing the problem and possible solutions. The authors demonstrate how the community can work with religious organizations to decrease incidents of domestic violence.

Doody's Review Service

“This book explores violence against women across different religious traditions such as Christian, Jewish, Mormon, Muslim, Buddhist, Hindu, and Sikh. … The book provides ways for mental health professionals to deal with spirituality and violence. … This book discusses men’s violence against women within a number of religious traditions, describing the problem and possible solutions. The authors demonstrate how the community can work with religious organizations to decrease incidents of domestic violence.” (Gary B. Kaniuk, Doody's Book Reviews, October, 2015)

From the Publisher