Women have long been regarded as inferior to men and, for centuries, they were considered the property of their husbands. Because he owned his wife, a man could legally beat her in order to force her to carry out his wishes. Many religions, even today, assert that the man is the head of the household, and that his wife must always obey him. Some religions have portrayed women as evil, seductive temptresses who lead men into sexual sinfulness. Although many, including deeply religious people have rejected these presumptions, such institutional teachings have continued to influence our thinking.
Battery is the single major cause of injury to women, exceeding even automobile accidents.
The FBI estimates that an American woman is raped every seven minutes. One in every four women will be sexually assaulted before the age of 18. One in seven married women is sexually assaulted by her husband. Nor is it surprising that, in 1987, during my sophomore year in college, I was raped. The rapist attacked me from behind.