The Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Nike in Enugu State, Reverend Christian Onyia, has said that violence against women is both a sin and a crime.
This was contained in a statement by Onyia, issued on Saturday in Enugu while reacting to the rising spate of violence against women (married women) in the country.
The bishop, who condemned the rising cases of violence against women in different forms, noted that no woman should be tied down in abusive and violent relationships just because of marriage.
“Violence against women in all its forms, be it physical, sexual, emotional, or verbal, is never justified. It’s both a sin and a crime.
“Marriages are broken by violence and abuse rather than divorce.
“The marriage covenant is broken by an abuser through abusive behaviour.
“Christians, and indeed, all, need to respond with compassion, solidarity, and care for the suffering and the most vulnerable,” he said.
On forgiveness, the cleric noted that forgiveness did not mean forgetting abuse or claiming that it had not happened.
He said, “Forgiveness is not permission for repetition of abuse.
“On the contrary, forgiveness means that the victim decides to let go of the experience, to move on in life and no longer tolerate abuse of any kind.”
The News Agency of Nigeria reports that few uncultured men in the country continue to hide under religion and traditional practices to perpetrate uncivilized and inhumane treatment against women.
Some of these uncultured men go to the extent of physically battering women close to them, especially their wives.
NAN
