Christian women in IPV relationships: An exploratory study of religious factors

Abstract

The study examined Christian women’s religious beliefs and practices in relationship to their intimate partner violence (IPV) relationships. The religious variables included religious affiliation status, religious attendance, religious teachings about gender roles in marriage, and religious problem-solving approaches. Of 1,476 religious Christian women in a southwest metropolitan region, 50.7% (n = 749) reported that they had experienced at least one or more types of abuse (physical violence, emotional abuse, sexual assault, stalking, or threats) by current or previous intimate partners. Women and their intimate partners who attended more regularly in church services were less likely to be involved in IPV relationships. There were no significant differences in rates of domestic violence reported between women from conservative affiliations and liberal/moderate affiliations, although women in congregations that did not support divorce in cases of IPV appeared to be more likely to be victims of abuse. In addition, more than 70% of Christian women who left an IPV relationship reported their faith provided them the strength to leave.