Sexual violence affects people of every age, gender, ethnicity, spiritual belief, and socio-economic class. Ninety percent of victims know their abuser. No one is immune from having a family member or friend fall prey to some form of sexual abuse. In some ways, these offenses are symptomatic of the ongoing fragmentation of families, the disintegration of communities, the decline in social morals and values, and brokenness in this world.
The culture of fear rather than truth robs millions of U.S. citizens of their liberty, freedom, and basic human rights. Fear abolishes reason, aborts justice, and imposes extreme injustice. Fear overcomes truth through persistent erosion and the deliberate propagation of half-truths and alternative facts. This book raises the question of whether American justice is based on reason and truth or fear. It examines how the propagation of fear leads to the prosecution of criminal wars and how mass imprisonment costs taxpayers billions of dollars each year. It asks, how do we protect victims and help them heal while moving from a justice of revenge and retribution to a justice of healing, rehabilitation, reconciliation, and restoration? How do we practice biblical mercy and grace?
These are tough questions. There are no easy answers. This book presents a vision of hope and compassion, inviting everyone affected by these issues and especially professing Christians and leaders, to engage in a compassionate dialog of healing and grace. It calls on leaders to set aside fear, prejudice, and ignorance to help transform the conflict, end the war, and promote peace. It presents a dream when the impossible becomes possible.