Delia was a very young woman when she got married. Although she and her husband eventually had five children together, all was not well in the family. Delia’s husband not only abused her but also assaulted and terrorized the children. He would laugh as he played Russian Roulette with a loaded gun.

A devout Roman Catholic, Delia sought help and advice from her family, but was told she needed to stay with her husband because they were married. Despite running away, asking for help, and even obtaining a protection order, Delia could not escape her violent spouse. She ultimately killed her husband and served several years in prison for the crime.

Delia’s story, recounted by director M. Garguilo in her video Broken Vows: Religious Perspectives on Domestic Violence, is not atypical. Alan Kemp, author of Abuse...