wfn.org | Elders Addresses Violence at Symposium

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Joycelynn Elders addresses violence
in Church and Health symposium

by Cathy Farmer* 

     MEMPHIS, Tenn. (UMNS) -- Is family violence a curable
condition? 
     In a city known for its high incidence of violent crime, no
question could be more focused on the real issues of the
community, according to Robert Howerton, senior vice president of
Methodist Health Systems, sponsor of the 1997 Church and Health
Symposium held here Sept. 11.
     Addressing the question in front of a packed sanctuary at
First United Methodist Church here, were Joycelynn Elders, former
Surgeon General of the United States; Fred Smith, assistant
director for the substance abuse and violence program at the
Carter Library and Presidential Center of Emory University; and
Bishop Marshall "Jack" Meadors Jr. of the United Methodist
Church's Mississippi Area.
     Meadors chairs the Council of Bishops' Initiative on Children
and Poverty.
     "Violence is not just a crime, it's a public health problem,
a church problem, a community problem, a school problem and a
family problem," Elders said. "But it can be cured.
     "You can pray about it, think about it, talk about it, but
then you need to get up off your knees and go to work," she said, 
punctuating each word with a stabbing finger and drawing
heart-felt 'amens' from many in the room. 
     Smith, urging the audience to "get out your Bibles because
you aren't here to listen, you're here to work," explored the root
causes of family violence by drawing attention to relevant Bible
stories. 
     "Violence is a disease," he said, "and the cure is to be
reconciled with God, to be Christ-like. Violence is spiritual," he
continued, "only God can reconcile violence. We must pray, pray,
pray."
     In response to a question from the audience, Smith said,
prayer is only the first step. "God will open your eyes. If you go
around with your eyes shut, you can't see your options, can't see
your friends. Prayer works, but don't leave it there. God works
through human beings. He can work through counselors."
     Elders is a life-long United Methodist, granddaughter of a
Methodist preacher, sister of a United Methodist district
superintendent. She began her segment of the symposium with a
startling fact: "Three-fourths of all assaults happen in
families." 
     "More than a million people seek medical attention because of
abuse each year." She said, More women are injured from abuse than
from rapes, muggings and car accidents combined. 
     "We have 10- and 12-year-old children planning their own
funerals," she said, her voice dropping dramatically as she paused
for breath, "because they have no hope. Where hope dies, moral
decay is not far behind."
     Scarcely referring to her notes, Elders laid out a number of
statistics that drew astonished gasps from the audience:
     * 95 percent of prostitutes were sexually abused as children;
     * every 15 seconds a woman is beaten;
     * 20 to 50 percent of women were sexually abused before the
age of 18;
     * 70 percent of teenage parents were abused at some time;
     * 50 percent of all murdered women were killed by their male
partners; 
     * 10 percent of all police calls are for domestic violence; 
     * 1,300 women were killed in 1994 by their male partners.
     "In this whole country," she said, "we have less than 2,000
shelters for battered women. We have more dog shelters than
shelters for battered women."
     After reciting equally appalling statistics about battered
and abused children and the physical, psychological and
exploitative abuse of the elderly, Elders proposed a cure.
     "We've got to get rid of the myths," she said. "We have to
realize it's a common, repetitive problem. We must educate
ourselves, the schools, the community, our doctors and our
pastors. We have to find a way to treat the abuser. Our law
enforcement agencies must be innovative. We must teach conflict
resolution in the schools."
     Elders encouraged her listeners to become partners in the
effort to defeat violence; urge legislators to enact policies; 
reach out and volunteer time, talents and treasures. 
     "Network." she said, "Just as Methodist Health Systems, First
United Methodist Church, and your community is doing here. Be
responsible and take leadership roles.
     "We can't afford to fail," she said, "Our country, our
community is at stake."
     She closed with a story told her by a United Methodist
bishop: "When you're dancing with a bear, you can't get tired and
sit down. You have to wait until the bear gets tired and wants to
rest. Then you can sit down. Well," she said, "we're dancing with
a bear."
                              #  #  #

     * Farmer is communications director for the Memphis United
Methodist Annual Conference.

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