Family-Based Religious Abuse

Partner abuse may be physical, psychological, emotional, sexual, and/or spiritual in nature. In addition to any physical injuries, abused individuals may experience both short-term and longer-term emotional and psychological effects. Initial psychological responses may include shock, denial, confusion, fear, and depression. Resulting longer-term effects may include anxiety; fatigue; sleeping and eating disorders; feelings of loss, betrayal, and helplessness; and, in some cases, suicide. The injuries caused by physical violence, which may lead to disability and chronic physical pain, may intensify and/or prolong the psychological effects.

The relationship between religion and partner violence may not be easily apparent. Some scholars have speculated that individuals who adhere to a literal reading of scripture may be more likely to abuse their partner in some form. Numerous scriptural passages from the Old and New Testaments and the Qur’an, when taken out of context, have been used to...