ABSTRACT
This story represents personal journey as both victims and scholars. As researchers, we are only beginning to understand from the verbal and emotional abuse we experienced both as children in a "Christian" home and acknowledgment of our abuse by our religious community. The role of the Christian husband as the decision maker, the provider, and the leader has become so naturalized. Many Christian women who experience intimate partner abuse feel it is their duty as a Christian wife to sacrifice and forgive their spouse. The children must respect the father and not say anything about what is truly going on inside the home. Both of us continue to experience rejection and resistance as we share our family's story with friends at our churches. Frances is much more open about the family dynamics than Ellen. Yet when it comes to sharing our story with our Christian friends, we both feel incredible resistance from people listening our family narrative.
