An imperfect understanding of Scripture sometimes allows domestic violence to be accepted by the abused and by the batterer. Scripture phrases or sentences quoted out of context can be confusing.

In Scripture, beginning in Genesis, man and woman are created in God's image. In the New Testament, Jesus unfailingly respected the human dignity of women.

Pope John Paul II, in his 1989 Apostolic Letter Mulieris Dignitatem (On the Dignity and Vocation of Women) makes it clear that both men and women are human beings to an equal degree, and that Christ's way of acting is a consistent protest against whatever offends the dignity of women.

In 1992 the National Conference of Catholic Bishops published When I Call for Help: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women. In this message, the bishops condemned the use of the Bible to condone abusive behavior. They made the strong statement that a correct reading of the Scriptures will lead people into relationships based on mutuality and on love. The full text of the message can be found as a statement of the U.S. Catholic Bishops: A Pastoral Response to Domestic Violence Against Women.

National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-876-6238