"Their Cross to Bear" Catholic Women Told to Bear Domestic Violence, Full Equality of Women in Church Would Impact Status of Women in World

From :Association for the Rights of Catholics

http://www.abc.net.au/news/2017-11-04/cross-to-bear-catholic-church-domestic-abuse/8680158 "Over the past three decades spent working for the Catholic Church, Maria George has been exposed to dozens of women who have survived intimate partner violence. The work of a pastoral associate often involves caring for vulnerable or distressed parishioners. But the story of one particular woman's abuse by her husband, a controlling man who raped his wife repeatedly over the decades of their marriage, has stayed with her. "She endured something like 16 pregnancies, quite a few miscarriages, and the stillbirth of a baby," Ms George, a senior pastoral associate at Melbourne's St Kilda-Elwood parish, told ABC News. She knew that being forced to have sex was wrong, and she often thought about leaving, Ms George said. But, "her response to that [abuse] was, 'this is my duty as a wife, for better or worse', and 'I said in marriage vows that I will stick with this'." And she did..." ..."Marilyn Hatton, the convenor of the Australian Catholic Coalition for Church Reform, says there can be "no justice" in a Church that does not see women as men's equals.

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Women are included in decision-making at an administrative level, she says, but not in mission or doctrinal level issues, which are presided over by the bishops.
"If the Catholic Church with all its influence granted full equality to women it would impact on the status of women across the world," Ms Hatton told ABC News.
"Importantly, it would start to reduce violence against women and children, an issue that impacts on their health and welfare daily..."