Many sufferers of religious domestic abuse (RDA) feel they are the only ones going through the trauma, isolated in their homes.
That is because, of those who did reach out to their church leaders, most found no support but blame, guilt, and judgement.
Church leaders, if they are not the perpetrators, have little if any experience understanding religious abuse.
Compound that with teachings that blame the abused and uphold the abuser, and a woman or man will not find the solace and comfort they need by confiding in their faith leader.
It may help religious domestic abuse victims to know that survivors of church sexual abuse (CSA) have been fighting since the 1980s to bring perpetrators to justice and remove them from church leadership.
This decades-long action finally bore fruit when the SBC reversed its decision on October 12 and will allow predators to come to justice.
Dee Ann Miller is one of if not the earliest survivor advocate in this fight. While domestic abuse partners are often sexually abused, many do not understand how these two forms of religious abuse are related. But Miller understands how collusion in the church re-traumatizes everyone. I recently had a conversation with Dee Ann and want my readers to hear her vast background, experience and wisdom. I hope it gives courage to anyone still fighting alone in her or his home, feeling abandoned by their church.