Violence against women: Bishop says “no one should remain in an abusive marriage”

The Bishop, Anglican Diocese of Nike in Enugu State, Rt. Rev. Christian Onyia, says “no one should remain in an abusive marriage”.

This is contained in a statement 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 relationship 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 does 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 (NAN) reports that few uncultured men in the country continue to hide under religion and traditional practices to perpetrate uncivilized and inhuman treatment against women.

Some of these uncultured men go to the extent of physically battering women close to them, especially their wives. (NAN)