Domestic Violence

This week a friend pointed me to an article on ministers who deal too lightly with domestic violence -- or too easily spiritualise it. But it didn't ring true. I do not know of a minister who does not take it very seriously. I myself have counselled many couples as a minister, in situations of violence. This is a very difficult thing. Is violence make or break? Is it certain kinds of violence? Or is its long-term potential for harm cuturally determined? Anyway, domestic violence is serious. It needs hard work in counselling, over an extended period of time. OBSERVATION: There are some misconceptions. In my experience, I think most cases of domestic violence have been wife-on-husband -- serious, vicious violence that put a few husbands in hospital. I think that husbands worked more with threat -- for example, waving a gun around. I think that most couples stayed together after such episodes of violence. But things are not what they seem, either. Sometimes that perfect couple in Church -- who hold hands and smile at each other -- is the one experiencing domestic violence. A minister knows it, but will not disclose it.