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Abuse
Recovery: Someone who cares |
Newberg Christian Church will present April 22 the
abuse recovery program `Fearing No Evil' |
By Schellene Clendenin, Newberg
Graphic reporter
E-mail Schellene at sclendenin@eaglenewspapers.com
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National statistics show that
one in four women have suffered from abuse during at least one time
in their lives.
By the time this article is read, about three minutes, an average
of 30 women in the United States will have been beaten. Every day 10
women are killed by their partners. Abuse is the single major cause
of injury to women in the United States.
Statistics like these, available through Abuse Recovery Ministry
Services (ARMS), are one of the reasons the program provides help
for men and women involved in situations in which one or the other —
the majority of the time, women — are abused.
Stacey Womack, ARMS founder and executive director, will speak on
“Fearing No Evil: A Faith-based Approach to Ending Domestic Abuse,”
from 10 a.m. to noon April 22 at Newberg Christian Church, 2315
Villa Road.
ARMS is a faith-based organization that advocates for the safety of
women, said Judy Maurer, director of development at ARMS. “We are
all children of God, and God’s interest, of course, is in each one
of his children being safe.”
Womack will provide information on domestic abuse to pastors,
counselors, lay leaders and all others in the faith community who
would like to learn ways to help stop the cycle of domestic abuse.
There is no charge to attend the seminar, but space is limited. For
more information or to reserve a spot, call Maurer at 503-538-3104
by April 19.
The seminar, said Cal Moss, co-director of Steven’s Ministry at the
church, was brought to the church after two members attended
speaking engagements offered by Womack.
Steven’s Ministry, sponsor of the seminar, is a listening
organization that provides one-on-one Christian care to people who
are facing challenges or who are going through a difficult time in
their lives, Moss said.
Abuse crosses all borders, wealthy or poor, Christian or secular,
Maurer said. The seminar — a two-hour, faith-based event — will look
at domestic abuse from a perspective of faith.
“We’re mainly wanting to help people in the church and faith
community understand how to cope with, help recognize and refer
people (who are being abused) and not make it worse,” Maurer said.
Patterns of abuse are predictable. Once church members understand
the dynamics, it’s not such a difficult subject to grasp, she said.
“Abuse is about power and control,” she said. “It’s different from
normal marriage conflict in that one person believes (he or she) is
entitled to benefits the other is not entitled to.”
She said that while abuse patterns are predictable, it’s not always
easy for others to identify the abuse, especially in the church. One
cycle, the “trickiest part for church to deal with,” she said,
involves the abuser becoming apologetic about his or her abuse.
“It’s more like an alcoholic’s remorse.”
For more information call 503-846-9284 or visit the ARMS Web
site at www.armsonline.org. |
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From
April 8, 2006, Newberg Graphic
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