ABSTRACT
This chapter explores the connection between religion and domestic violence and encourages people to consider their perspective of what religious beliefs say about relationships and gender roles. Religion is values-based and therefore naturally flows into ideas about self, relationships, gender roles, and the world around us. Many group members use their religious views to justify their controlling behaviors, citing that their higher power expects them to keep things in order by any means necessary. One's religious or spiritual beliefs and practices can be a wonderful support for people in their times of struggle and pain. Most religious views require that the person believe in a power higher and more powerful than oneself, and that alone can be an interesting belief to consider for people who use power and control in their relationships. Religion tends to be a family practice.
