Any religion that places women beneath men (and all major religions do that — Christianity included), is a breeding-ground for violence to women.

So I am inclined to agree with Alan Lappin, and I applaud Father Peter McKeague for taking a stand.

Clearly, there is plenty of room for improvement in religious responses to domestic violence.

Having spent 25 years in the trenches when it comes to violence to women, I have seen countless responses to abused women — to the effect that they should go home and pray, read their bible, and submit to their husbands.

Some clerics have also had an unfortunate history of telling perpetrators what their wives have disclosed, putting women at further risk of violence.

These responses are, of course, manifestly inadequate and dangerous, but the church has traditionally valued saving marriages over saving women’s lives.

A recent study told of a woman leaving her the husband who was repeatedly beating and raping her. Her pastor forbade church members to assist her in any way.

Studies also cite refuge workers saying clergy are often problematic to work with, that women in refuges rate clergy as poor when it comes to seeking help and that one third of clergy believes no amount of violence justifies leaving an abusive relationship.

Women may remain in an abusive relationship because they feel their salvation depends on it. And husbands can spiritually abuse them by quoting scripture to enforce submission — a situation sometimes reinforced by her pastor.

Clergy are often a woman’s first port of call when she has been abused and that puts the church in a position to do much good.

Of course, many clerics and religious organisations do great work with domestic violence.

I highly recommend a reading of the works of Rev Dr Marie Fortune on violence to women in the church, and appropriately dealing with perpetrators.

The faith of abused women is important to them, but it should never be used to imply that a loving God ordains violence to them.

Changing dangerous religious-based attitudes will save women’s lives.

— LOUISE McORMOND-PLUMMER,

Lavington