What is domestic violence?

---

Domestic Violence is crime against a person in a domestic setting. It is classified as felony or misdemeanor depending on how bad the injuries are and if there is someone present. Signs to remember and how to identify if there is violence going on is that there is physical violence, sexual violence, psychological violence, and emotional abuse. Someone that is abusing a partner or family member is trying to exert the power and control that they have over the victim. 

Domestic violence happens to 1 in 4 women in the United States. There are 20 people per minute that are being abused by a partner. Men can also be victims of domestic violence and 1 in 9 men have experienced some form of abuse. In a domestic setting, we must remember that there can also be children that are experiencing this, which means that 90% of victims are children as well. 

Why is domestic violence not discussed more often than it is now in the church? Only 65% of pastors have addressed this issue only a handful of times, and 33% rarely discuss domestic violence. Why do people feel they are not prepared enough to discuss such a topic? Is it because there is lack of access or knowledge? 

"There are 2.2 billion Christians in the world. The church has enormous influence and has the potential to be a great resource for victims." - Anglican Communion News Service