Dear Christian Authors, Bloggers, Podcasters, Influencers, and Leaders,
I am writing this as a plea, and I hope and pray that you will hear the cry of my heart.
I come to you on behalf of countless women who are suffering from destructive marriages.
Abuse comes in many forms and is not just defined by broken bones and bruises.
The Duluth Power and Control Wheel is one resource that reveals other forms of abuse.
Sarah McDugal created a chart with the 13 systems of abuse patterns.
The patterns/systems of abuse include child, cultural, emotional, financial, intellectual, pets and property, psychological, sexual, social, spiritual, verbal and a core mindset of power abuse and entitlement.
My first plea is that you become familiar with the patterns and systems of abuse.
You may read more here or listen here.
Reportedly, one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse.
This number does not account for unreported cases.
This number does not account for other forms of abuse.
Based upon my personal experience and the hundreds of women that I encounter daily, my gut tells me that 50-75% of women within faith communities are experiencing multiple forms of abuse on a regular basis.
These women read your books, blogs, and social media posts.
These women listen to your podcasts and sermons.
These women have endured years, even decades, of heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, soul-crushing abuse.
Some are aware that they are being abused, and many are not yet aware.
We can no longer say, “But my message was directed at healthy couples.”
Many marriages are not healthy.
Most women who are seeking out help are not in healthy marriages and the messages they hear cause more harm.
When you speak on these topics and do not include a warning about abuse, these women feel blamed, shamed and responsible for the abuse they are enduring.
My second plea is to add a heartfelt, informed disclaimer each time you address relationships, marriage, sex, and divorce.
Please include information about consent, safety, equality, and mutuality.
Please educate yourselves and others about the patterns and systems of abuse and direct your readers and listeners to resources that will help them to be safe and well.
Please refer abuse victims to trauma-informed and abuse-informed therapists, domestic violence shelters and law enforcement agencies.
Abuse within faith communities is epidemic.
This is not a new problem, but there is a tidal wave of survivors who are stepping out and speaking up.
As one story is shared, it gives others courage to come forward.
For generations, abuse has been covered up within homes, churches, and institutions.
The tide has turned, and survivors and advocates are saying “Enough is enough.”
Will you join me and other survivors, helpers, advocates, counselors, authors, and leaders who are taking a stand against this evil?
We are unlearning and relearning, every single day.
We are realizing that many things we have believed, spoken and written have brought more harm to those who were seeking healing.
We invite you to join us as we seek ways to help and heal the masses who are showing up at our doorsteps, our computer screens and in our coaching sessions.
We now know better, so we must do better.
Ladies, join us at Held & Healed: Christian Women Rebuilding After Abuse.
The Held & Healed Podcast is a resource filled with resources and I have interviewed some powerful men and women who love God and love others and are speaking out on behalf of survivors.
Thank you for your time and consideration, I invite the opportunity to learn and grow with you.
Sincerely,
A Survivor and Advocate
I am writing this as a plea, and I hope and pray that you will hear the cry of my heart.
I come to you on behalf of countless women who are suffering from destructive marriages.
Abuse comes in many forms and is not just defined by broken bones and bruises.
The Duluth Power and Control Wheel is one resource that reveals other forms of abuse.
Sarah McDugal created a chart with the 13 systems of abuse patterns.
The patterns/systems of abuse include child, cultural, emotional, financial, intellectual, pets and property, psychological, sexual, social, spiritual, verbal and a core mindset of power abuse and entitlement.
My first plea is that you become familiar with the patterns and systems of abuse.
You may read more here or listen here.
Reportedly, one in three women have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse.
This number does not account for unreported cases.
This number does not account for other forms of abuse.
Based upon my personal experience and the hundreds of women that I encounter daily, my gut tells me that 50-75% of women within faith communities are experiencing multiple forms of abuse on a regular basis.
These women read your books, blogs, and social media posts.
These women listen to your podcasts and sermons.
These women have endured years, even decades, of heartbreaking, gut-wrenching, soul-crushing abuse.
Some are aware that they are being abused, and many are not yet aware.
We can no longer say, “But my message was directed at healthy couples.”
Many marriages are not healthy.
Most women who are seeking out help are not in healthy marriages and the messages they hear cause more harm.
When you speak on these topics and do not include a warning about abuse, these women feel blamed, shamed and responsible for the abuse they are enduring.
My second plea is to add a heartfelt, informed disclaimer each time you address relationships, marriage, sex, and divorce.
Please include information about consent, safety, equality, and mutuality.
Please educate yourselves and others about the patterns and systems of abuse and direct your readers and listeners to resources that will help them to be safe and well.
Please refer abuse victims to trauma-informed and abuse-informed therapists, domestic violence shelters and law enforcement agencies.
Abuse within faith communities is epidemic.
This is not a new problem, but there is a tidal wave of survivors who are stepping out and speaking up.
As one story is shared, it gives others courage to come forward.
For generations, abuse has been covered up within homes, churches, and institutions.
The tide has turned, and survivors and advocates are saying “Enough is enough.”
Will you join me and other survivors, helpers, advocates, counselors, authors, and leaders who are taking a stand against this evil?
We are unlearning and relearning, every single day.
We are realizing that many things we have believed, spoken and written have brought more harm to those who were seeking healing.
We invite you to join us as we seek ways to help and heal the masses who are showing up at our doorsteps, our computer screens and in our coaching sessions.
We now know better, so we must do better.
Ladies, join us at Held & Healed: Christian Women Rebuilding After Abuse.
The Held & Healed Podcast is a resource filled with resources and I have interviewed some powerful men and women who love God and love others and are speaking out on behalf of survivors.
Thank you for your time and consideration, I invite the opportunity to learn and grow with you.
Sincerely,
A Survivor and Advocate
I am moved by “The Starfish Story” (by Loren Eisley) every time I read it.
In case you are not familiar with it, here goes.
“One day a man was walking along a beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up, and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son, the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one.””
Every day, I find myself walking along a figurative beach.
The tide has gone out, and countless starfish are lying on the beach, wasting away.
Every day, I meet and interact with women online.
They are wasting away.
They have endured years, even decades, of abuse at home and at church.
They have no idea how beautiful, precious, and cherished they are.
Every day, I also encounter opposition.
Those who say things like, “No marriage it perfect,” “It takes two,” “She should just…”
I am here to say, “NO MORE.”
We are way past that.
There is evidence that shows us that (reportedly) one in three women are subject to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
This does not account for unreported cases.
This does not account for the masses of women who are enduring horrific emotional, financial, intellectual, psychological, social, spiritual, and verbal abuse.
The days of sticking our heads in the sand and pretending this epidemic doesn’t exist are gone.
There are many voices raising awareness and we can no longer pretend that most marriages are safe and healthy.
I choose to spend my days, walking the beaches of online conversations, picking up starfish and throwing them into the water.
This epidemic is especially deadly within conservative, fundamental, evangelical church circles.
Most of the starfish I interact with have been raised in a church culture that tells them they must submit more, pray more, forgive more, and give their husbands sex more to stop the abuse and adultery.
Most of these starfish are blamed and shamed for their husbands’ sins while the men are not addressed.
Beautiful, gifted starfish are being removed from their places of ministry while their husbands are slapped on the wrists (in some situations, they are sat down for a few months, but usually they are reinstated without therapy or treatment for their addictions and behaviors).
I am crying out for more starfish throwers.
Will you join me?
Will you commit to learning about the realities of trauma and abuse, and will you pick up one starfish and throw her back into the sea?
In 2021, I earned a certification as a survivor advocate and that lit a fire in my soul.
Once the lights turned on for me, I wanted to flip every switch and bring light to other survivors.
Since that time, I have formed support groups for starfish and starfish throwers, and we are taking a stand against the evil that almost destroyed us.
We are walking along the seashore and looking for other starfish who desperately need life-giving water.
I long for every book, blog, podcast, sermon, etc. that covers topics such as relationships, marriage, divorce, and sex to include information about the patterns/systems of abuse.
I long for them to include information about consent, safely, equality, and mutuality.
When one in three women have reported being physically and/or sexually abused and countless others have not reported and/or are experiencing emotional, financial, intellectual, psychological, social, spiritual, and verbal abuse we must change the way we approach these topics.
Every week, in every church, there are women who are hearing messages that that are crushing their souls and sucking life from their lungs.
Please stop saying, “But that book was written for healthy marriages,” when it is highly likely that more women who are in destructive relationships will read the book and feel shamed, blamed, and responsible for the abuse they are enduring.
"You’re too sensitive,” is another common response when an advocate speaks up on behalf of a harmful source.
I am deeply concerned for the women who believe that if they just pray harder, put on more makeup, lose weight and cook gourmet meals their husbands will become faithful, kind and loving.
One dear starfish endured decades of abuse, serial adultery and was debilitated by chronic illness.
At the point of her deepest need, unsure if she would live or die, her abuser abandoned her.
The church chose the abuser over the victim and promoted him in leadership.
Sadly, her story is not uncommon, it is one I hear often.
I am calling out, screaming, yelling, pleading…will you be a starfish thrower?
Would you be willing to learn about abuse and trauma and how to help and not further harm the precious star fish around you?
Are you willing to ask a trauma-informed, abuse-informed survivor or advocate to help you write posts, sermons or books that will offer hope and healing, rather than bring further harm?
Are willing to remove books from your personal and church libraries that are filled with toxic teachings?
Are willing to open your heart, home, and wallet to help support women who are escaping destructive relationships?
My guess is that 50-75% of women in conservative church cultures are enduring one or many forms of abuse.
Your mother, your sister, your neighbor, your friend may be need life-saving intervention.
Will you hear her?
One of my greatest joys is connecting resources to needs.
am connected to a powerful network of star fish throwers and together we are bringing awareness, educating, equipping, and encouraging survivors.
In case you are not familiar with it, here goes.
“One day a man was walking along a beach when he noticed a boy picking something up and gently throwing it into the ocean.
Approaching the boy, he asked, “What are you doing?”
The youth replied, “Throwing starfish back into the ocean. The surf is up, and the tide is going out. If I don’t throw them back, they’ll die.”
“Son, the man said, “don’t you realize there are miles and miles of beach and hundreds of starfish? You can’t make a difference!”
After listening politely, the boy bent down, picked up another starfish, and threw it back into the surf. Then, smiling at the man, he said, “I made a difference for that one.””
Every day, I find myself walking along a figurative beach.
The tide has gone out, and countless starfish are lying on the beach, wasting away.
Every day, I meet and interact with women online.
They are wasting away.
They have endured years, even decades, of abuse at home and at church.
They have no idea how beautiful, precious, and cherished they are.
Every day, I also encounter opposition.
Those who say things like, “No marriage it perfect,” “It takes two,” “She should just…”
I am here to say, “NO MORE.”
We are way past that.
There is evidence that shows us that (reportedly) one in three women are subject to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner.
This does not account for unreported cases.
This does not account for the masses of women who are enduring horrific emotional, financial, intellectual, psychological, social, spiritual, and verbal abuse.
The days of sticking our heads in the sand and pretending this epidemic doesn’t exist are gone.
There are many voices raising awareness and we can no longer pretend that most marriages are safe and healthy.
I choose to spend my days, walking the beaches of online conversations, picking up starfish and throwing them into the water.
This epidemic is especially deadly within conservative, fundamental, evangelical church circles.
Most of the starfish I interact with have been raised in a church culture that tells them they must submit more, pray more, forgive more, and give their husbands sex more to stop the abuse and adultery.
Most of these starfish are blamed and shamed for their husbands’ sins while the men are not addressed.
Beautiful, gifted starfish are being removed from their places of ministry while their husbands are slapped on the wrists (in some situations, they are sat down for a few months, but usually they are reinstated without therapy or treatment for their addictions and behaviors).
I am crying out for more starfish throwers.
Will you join me?
Will you commit to learning about the realities of trauma and abuse, and will you pick up one starfish and throw her back into the sea?
In 2021, I earned a certification as a survivor advocate and that lit a fire in my soul.
Once the lights turned on for me, I wanted to flip every switch and bring light to other survivors.
Since that time, I have formed support groups for starfish and starfish throwers, and we are taking a stand against the evil that almost destroyed us.
We are walking along the seashore and looking for other starfish who desperately need life-giving water.
I long for every book, blog, podcast, sermon, etc. that covers topics such as relationships, marriage, divorce, and sex to include information about the patterns/systems of abuse.
I long for them to include information about consent, safely, equality, and mutuality.
When one in three women have reported being physically and/or sexually abused and countless others have not reported and/or are experiencing emotional, financial, intellectual, psychological, social, spiritual, and verbal abuse we must change the way we approach these topics.
Every week, in every church, there are women who are hearing messages that that are crushing their souls and sucking life from their lungs.
Please stop saying, “But that book was written for healthy marriages,” when it is highly likely that more women who are in destructive relationships will read the book and feel shamed, blamed, and responsible for the abuse they are enduring.
"You’re too sensitive,” is another common response when an advocate speaks up on behalf of a harmful source.
I am deeply concerned for the women who believe that if they just pray harder, put on more makeup, lose weight and cook gourmet meals their husbands will become faithful, kind and loving.
One dear starfish endured decades of abuse, serial adultery and was debilitated by chronic illness.
At the point of her deepest need, unsure if she would live or die, her abuser abandoned her.
The church chose the abuser over the victim and promoted him in leadership.
Sadly, her story is not uncommon, it is one I hear often.
I am calling out, screaming, yelling, pleading…will you be a starfish thrower?
Would you be willing to learn about abuse and trauma and how to help and not further harm the precious star fish around you?
Are you willing to ask a trauma-informed, abuse-informed survivor or advocate to help you write posts, sermons or books that will offer hope and healing, rather than bring further harm?
Are willing to remove books from your personal and church libraries that are filled with toxic teachings?
Are willing to open your heart, home, and wallet to help support women who are escaping destructive relationships?
My guess is that 50-75% of women in conservative church cultures are enduring one or many forms of abuse.
Your mother, your sister, your neighbor, your friend may be need life-saving intervention.
Will you hear her?
One of my greatest joys is connecting resources to needs.
am connected to a powerful network of star fish throwers and together we are bringing awareness, educating, equipping, and encouraging survivors.
Will you join us?
Ladies, you are welcome to join us at Held & Healed: Christian Women Rebuilding After Abuse.
Survivors, helpers, and leaders, join us at the Safer Spaces Summit where we will share statistics, survivor stories, and offer solutions for addressing abuse within faith communities.
