Jyoti came to work on time even as the principal noted she was very silent and had a black mark under her eye. When questioned what happened Jyoti answered, “ I fell and hurt my self.” Later she wept and confided “my husband beat me.” A teacher well loved by students hides the shameful behaviour of her husband and her own honour, so she responds with a lie. Then Jyoti recalled the words of Jesus, “ You will know the truth and the truth will set you free.” Truth and grace changed her life even as she confronted her husband and succeeded.
Yet many women have succumbed to a lie that it’s ok for a husband to beat his wife; which is why it’s important to ask, what shapes the identity of a woman? The identity of the person is partly shaped by recognition or its absence. It is often shaped by the misrecognition of others and can cause real damage and distortion. The Bible teaches both male and female are created in God’s image (Genesis 1:27). The truth of equality is hard for many men to swallow and this nonrecognition or misrecognition of truth inflicts harm. It is a form of oppression, imprisoning women in a false, distorted, image of themselves that they are inferior.
Jyoti knows that truth sets you free if you live it. Some told Jyoti don’t worry about what happened yesterday just live by being mindful of the now as this will reduce stress. Well, what about the wounded memory? The pain that a victim of domestic violence carries requires healing and violence to come to an end. All of us have bodies we are not just spirit. Is the body of a female girl child inferior to male? Many think so. It’s necessary for men who are set free by the truth to become a voice for the voiceless. The evil of domestic violence and human trafficking of girls continues because we remain quiet.
As Jyoti shows living the truth alone can help overcome domestic violence!