Counselors and priests should provide emotional support and guidance to wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families

Oct 13, 2025 by magicalceylontours.com 112 views

Emotional Regulation on Victims of Violence in Domestic Families in Living for Forgiveness Phases

Introduction

Domestic violence is a growing social issue that affects millions of people worldwide. In the context of Christian families, the situation is even more complex due to the emphasis on marriage as a lifelong commitment. This study aims to explore the dynamics of emotional regulation experienced by wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families while undergoing the forgiveness process. By using a qualitative approach and involving three participants, this research seeks to understand how wives respond to this challenging situation and how they use emotional regulation strategies to achieve forgiveness.

The Prevalence of Domestic Violence in Christian Families

Domestic violence is a widespread problem that affects people of all ages, cultures, and backgrounds. In the context of Christian families, the situation is particularly complex due to the emphasis on marriage as a lifelong commitment. According to various studies, nearly 50% of domestic violence cases occur in Christian families, making this a significant social issue that requires attention and support. The Christian principle of marriage emphasizes that divorce is only justified in the state of death, which makes this situation even more complex.

The Forgiveness Process

The forgiveness process is a complex and multi-faceted journey that involves several phases. The four phases of forgiveness that were explored in this study are:

Disclosure (Uncovering): This phase involves acknowledging and accepting the hurt and pain caused by the domestic violence.
Decision (Decision): This phase involves making a decision to forgive and let go of the hurt and pain.
Work (Work): This phase involves working through the emotions and experiences related to the domestic violence.
Deepening (Deepening): This phase involves deepening one's understanding and connection with God and others.

Emotional Regulation Strategies

Emotional regulation is the process of managing and modulating one's emotions in response to a situation. There are five main strategies used by individuals to regulate their emotions, including:

Situation Selection (Situation Selection): This involves selecting situations that are likely to elicit positive emotions.
Situation Modification: This involves modifying situations to reduce stress and anxiety.
Attention Deployment: This involves directing attention away from negative emotions and towards positive emotions.
Cognitive Change (Cognitive Change): This involves reappraising or re-assessing one's experiences and emotions.
Modulation of Response (Response Modulation): This involves regulating one's emotional response to a situation.

The Results of the Study

The results of this study showed that the three participants succeeded through the four forgiveness phases in the same order. However, they also experienced repetition in the work and deepening phases. This process illustrates that the journey to forgiveness is not always linear, but rather involves complex interactions between phases. In undergoing each forgiveness phase, participants used the five emotional regulation strategies, both in the same direction or not.

The Dominant Emotional Regulation Strategy

One of the interesting findings of this study is that the most dominant emotional regulation strategy used to achieve forgiveness is cognitive change (cognitive change). Wives reappraised or re-assessed the suffering they experienced through the deepening of God's Word of forgiveness. They also involved a response modulation strategy, which was reflected in their attitude to keep loving their husband or in-laws, praying for them, and trying to be good wives and mothers. This shows that, despite facing a difficult situation, they still try to fulfill their role in the family in a positive way.

Conclusion

This study provides important insights for counselors, priests, and other parties involved in supporting domestic violence victims in Christian families to find effective ways to accompany them through the forgiveness process. By understanding the dynamics of emotional regulations and forgiveness phases, it is hoped that the wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families can get better guidelines in facing the challenges they face. The forgiveness process is not only about releasing wounds, but also involves a deep spiritual and emotional journey, which is able to turn suffering into strength for growth and recovery.

Recommendations

Based on the findings of this study, the following recommendations are made:

Counselors and priests should provide emotional support and guidance to wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families.
Wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families should be encouraged to use cognitive change and response modulation strategies to regulate their emotions and achieve forgiveness.
The forgiveness process should be understood as a complex and multi-faceted journey that involves several phases.
The role of God and spirituality in the forgiveness process should be acknowledged and respected.

Limitations of the Study

This study has several limitations, including:

The sample size was small, consisting of only three participants.
The study was conducted in a qualitative approach, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
The study did not explore the experiences of husbands or in-laws in the forgiveness process.

Future Research Directions

Future research should explore the following directions:

A larger sample size should be used to increase the generalizability of the findings.
A mixed-methods approach should be used to combine qualitative and quantitative data.
The experiences of husbands and in-laws in the forgiveness process should be explored.
The role of God and spirituality in the forgiveness process should be further explored.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) about Emotional Regulation on Victims of Violence in Domestic Families in Living for Forgiveness Phases

Q: What is emotional regulation, and how does it relate to domestic violence?

A: Emotional regulation is the process of managing and modulating one's emotions in response to a situation. In the context of domestic violence, emotional regulation is crucial for victims to cope with the trauma and stress caused by the abuse. This study explores how wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families use emotional regulation strategies to achieve forgiveness.

Q: What are the five emotional regulation strategies used by individuals?

A: The five emotional regulation strategies used by individuals are:

Situation Selection (Situation Selection): This involves selecting situations that are likely to elicit positive emotions.
Situation Modification: This involves modifying situations to reduce stress and anxiety.
Attention Deployment: This involves directing attention away from negative emotions and towards positive emotions.
Cognitive Change (Cognitive Change): This involves reappraising or re-assessing one's experiences and emotions.
Modulation of Response (Response Modulation): This involves regulating one's emotional response to a situation.

Q: What are the four phases of forgiveness?

A: The four phases of forgiveness are:

Disclosure (Uncovering): This phase involves acknowledging and accepting the hurt and pain caused by the domestic violence.
Decision (Decision): This phase involves making a decision to forgive and let go of the hurt and pain.
Work (Work): This phase involves working through the emotions and experiences related to the domestic violence.
Deepening (Deepening): This phase involves deepening one's understanding and connection with God and others.

Q: What is the most dominant emotional regulation strategy used to achieve forgiveness?

A: The most dominant emotional regulation strategy used to achieve forgiveness is cognitive change (cognitive change). Wives reappraised or re-assessed the suffering they experienced through the deepening of God's Word of forgiveness.

Q: How can counselors and priests support wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families?

A: Counselors and priests can provide emotional support and guidance to wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families. They can help them use cognitive change and response modulation strategies to regulate their emotions and achieve forgiveness.

Q: What are the limitations of this study?

A: The limitations of this study include:

The sample size was small, consisting of only three participants.
The study was conducted in a qualitative approach, which may limit the generalizability of the findings.
The study did not explore the experiences of husbands or in-laws in the forgiveness process.

Q: What are the future research directions?

A: Future research should explore the following directions:

A larger sample size should be used to increase the generalizability of the findings.
A mixed-methods approach should be used to combine qualitative and quantitative data.
The experiences of husbands and in-laws in the forgiveness process should be explored.
The role of God and spirituality in the forgiveness process should be further explored.

Q: What are the implications of this study for practice and policy?

A: The implications of this study for practice and policy are:

Counselors and priests should provide emotional support and guidance to wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families.
Wives of victims of domestic violence in Christian families should be encouraged to use cognitive change and response modulation strategies to regulate their emotions and achieve forgiveness.
The forgiveness process should be understood as a complex and multi-faceted journey that involves several phases.
The role of God and spirituality in the forgiveness process should be acknowledged and respected.