Women In The Cry Of Tamar

Many problems have been addressed in the book, The Cry of Tamar to highlight violence against women. More specifically, the unpleasant story of Tamar’s abuse by a close family member and the conspiracy of others, mainly men, and aiding the perpetrator, happens all too often in our society. How do we give voice to the voiceless? How do we help the victims that suffered from sexual harassment, assault, stalked, and domestic violence? Pamela Cooper-White has done a tremendous service to this cause by communicating this story of epidemic abuse throughout the world to the clergy, pastoral caregivers, and religious leaders in order for them to stop this violence to women. Has it endured this long because of the patriarchal heritage of our society?
Women are taken from their families to be sold in the trafficking business. This number is disturbing because 99% of the victims are female, and two thirds are 17 years old or younger. I cannot comprehend how someone is willing to break a person down by maltreating them to a point where the hope of escape is never an option. Yet, political organizations have created an international movement by signing into an agreement to stop this behavior in 2000. However, not a single case in these sixty two countries has there been a conviction for the endemic problem. Again, I cannot fathom how we are supposed to tackle this problem if we cannot convict or punish the wrongdoers. I certainly agree with Cooper-White’s intention of not remaining silent. Why was Tamar told, “…do not take this to heart” (Cooper-White, p.32, para 3) by her brother Absalom? What was the point of keeping quiet? Why were many women’s voices excluded from historical narrative to include the Bible? My answer is power and control, and I believe that women were treated as property three thousand years ago instead of equal human beings. In today’s world, women still experience the same issues, especially in the military, but they have taken a step