One fifth of Christians in England have experienced domestic sexual violence, according to a new joint report by Premier Christianity magazine and domestic abuse charity Restored Alarmingly, over 40% of respondents also said they weren't sure if their church was a 'safe place' to go to for people suffering domestic abuse.
The study found that 19% of adults, of the 443 people who completed the survey, claim they had experienced their partner refusing to accept no for an answer when he or she wants to have sex. For six percent questioned by Restored as part of their 'In Churches Too' campaign, they described the issue as a 'frequent' experience.
Maggie Ellis, Psychosexual Therapist and Director of Lifecentre Rape Crisis service said: Any experience of sex without consent is illegal in the UK, including within marriage.
"Rightly so, the impact of sex without consent is always damaging. Within marriage it always creates a mire of long-term problems sexually and relationally."
Mandy Marshall, Co-Director of Restored, told Premier's News Hour why she believes it was time for the Church to offer more support to victims:
Of the 87 men who responded to whether their partner ever refused to accept no for an answer when they wanted to have sex, nine percent had experienced this.
The survey indicated that 16% had experienced physical harm (such as being pushed, slapped, hit or hurt using an object) at the hands of their partner. Other forms of abuse were also shown to be commonplace, with 40% of respondents having experienced their partner using intimidation including glaring, shouting, smashing things or sulking in order to get their own way.
Up to a third had also experienced putdowns from their partner, such as being told that they were too fat, too thin, ugly or stupid, or being isolated from friends, family or work colleagues by their partner. Respondents were also very aware of the existence of domestic violence within the Christian community, with 95% acknowledging that this does take place within Christian families.
Rob Parsons, chair of Care for the Family, said: "In our experience, the second deepest hurt of those who have suffered abuse is so often having nobody who will listen to their plight, or even sometimes a Church culture which will not allow the possibility that such things could occur within its community."
The majority of respondents (87%) said that one of the reasons that domestic violence occurred was because a partner needed to have authority and control over a relationship.