In “The Cry of Tamar”, author Pamela Cooper-White seeks to break the silence about violence against women and address the social structure of patriarchy not only in the Church, but in society as well. In Cooper-White’s introduction she states that “The Cry of Tamar” was written in the spirit of advocacy and education. It is a work written by someone who can speak with authority and credibility as an Episcopal priest with what she calls a “Christian/Episcopal-Anglican voice”; but above all she writes it as a woman. Cooper-White uses the story of Tamar as a historic example of sexist attitudes from the church and the violence directed towards women over the years.
“The Cry of Tamar” effectively breaks down how society has become desensitized to the treatment and objectifying of women. It was shocking to learn that 39% of all women have experienced some level of abuse or sexual assault during their lifetime (Cooper-White, 2012). When it comes to the church’s past response to violence against women, they have failed miserably to address the issue and have even contributed to the oppression by denying the woman her voice. Cooper-White discussed the efforts for gender justice and explains some of the common women stereotypes. Some of the “stereotype-bearing myths” about women
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Cooper-White challenges society to see violence against women for what it is. She provides education and strategies to empower women and guidelines for those in pastoral care and other leadership to encourage gender justice. Using Tamar’s story she also calls the church to vindicate her memory and to vindicate all victims of violence and oppression. It is women that experience the most violence, but it’s clear that girls, men, and boys can also be victimized. In order to combat the violence that has been ingrained in our society, it’s crucial that we counterattack using the education, accountability, and justice that