Gender Justice
Our society perpetuates inequities and unhealthy norms around gender that harm both men and women. American Psychological Association. But women, who are not generally the holders of societal power and privilege, usually suffer the most brutal effects of that patriarchy[1], such as sexual exploitation, trafficking and violence.
These advertisements from the 1950s reflect how far we've come as a society. But unhealthy and un-Biblical gender norms are long-lived and insidious within our culture.
The World Health Organization estimates that 35% of women worldwide have experienced either physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence or non-partner sexual violence in their lifetime. WHO fact sheet. One in five women are raped in their lifetimes, but rape is the most under-reported crime, with 63% of sexual assault cases not being reported to police. National Sexual Violence Resource Center.
Citylife Survivor Support Team
"Sadly, the church can become a place of more abuse, misapplying biblical texts to promote the abuse of power by a husband or the place of suffering for a wife—all in the name of “submission.” A woman who’s been battered, neglected, or verbally abused doesn’t need marriage counseling with her husband; she needs to hear of the protective, loving, and redeeming work of Jesus. " The Gospel Coalition, How to Combat Domestic Violence in the Chuch.
A team from Citylife experienced in working with abuse victims will work with pastoral staff and come alongside victims of abuse and/or sexual assault to offer community and prayer. Contact Nam Hee Kim (namhee@citylifeboston.org) for more information, or if you need help.
What is Domestic Violence?
Domestic violence (also called intimate partner violence, domestic abuse or relationship abuse) is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence includes behaviors that physically harm, arouse fear, prevent a partner from doing what they wish or force them to behave in ways they do not want. It includes the use of physical and sexual violence, threats and intimidation, emotional abuse and economic deprivation. Many of these different forms of domestic violence/abuse can be occurring at any one time within the same intimate relationship. National Domestic Violence Hotline
Behaviors that are warning signs of a potentially abusive relationship include when your partner:
Tells you that you can never do anything right
Shows extreme jealousy of your friends and time spent away
Keeps you or discourages you from seeing friends or family members
Insults, demeans or shames you with put-downs
Controls every penny spent in the household
Takes your money or refuses to give you money for necessary expenses
Looks at you or acts in ways that scare you
Controls who you see, where you go, or what you do
Prevents you from making your own decisions
Tells you that you are a bad parent or threatens to harm or take away your children
Prevents you from working or attending school
Destroys your property or threatens to hurt or kill your pets
Intimidates you with guns, knives or other weapons
Pressures you to have sex when you don’t want to or do things sexually you’re not comfortable with
Pressures you to use drugs or alcohol
Threatens to report you to immigration authorities or refuses to file immigration papers for you
Hitting, pushing, grabbing, or threatening you, or frequently risking your safety, e.g., reckless driving
Route One
Route One seeks to minister to women who are sexually exploited and trafficked by the commercial sex industry. Volunteers meet three times per month to pray, and then drive together to a strip club, where they offer small gifts to the dancers and try to forge relationships with them. Donations of funds or goods are also ways to support this ministry.
Ultimately the hope is that the women would experience the breaking of chains and healing of wounds through a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. Route One also seeks to equip and empower churches to address sex trafficking and the larger systems that result in the exploitation of women.