All articles by Sally Hope
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OpinionIs abortion really legal up to birth? A Christian response to decriminalisation
Domestic abuse recovery specialist, Sally Hope, examines the facts behind the Abortion Act 1967 and the reality of illegal abortion cases. She says it could protect some of the most vulnerable women—raising important questions for Christians about justice, compassion and what it really means to be pro-life.
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OpinionFive early warning signs of domestic abuse that Christians might miss
Writer Sally Hope explores how faith, church culture and well-meaning theology can sometimes obscure serious red flags in relationships. With clarity and compassion, she highlights warning signs that Christian women need to recognise early, in order to stay safe and supported.
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OpinionSixteen Days of Activism: Online abuse in Christian spaces
Writer Sally Hope has been exposing the growing problem of online abuse in Christian spaces. As the UN’s 16 Days of Activism begins, her experiences show why this year’s theme, there is no excuse for online abuse, matters more than ever.
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OpinionWith the rise and prevalence of sexual offences, believers everywhere need to confront sexual violence honestly - both in society and in Church
Writer Sally Hope responds to new Office for National Statistics data on sexual offences in England and Wales, urging Christian women to face the truth with courage and compassion.
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Opinion'I re-discovered hope in God after domestic abuse and now I want to help other women to do the same'
Writer Sally Hope shares her journey of rediscovering faith after escaping years of domestic abuse, finding in God a hope that no human being could provide. Now, through her Always Hopeful programme and her new book No Visible Scars, she seeks to walk alongside other women on the path to healing and renewed trust in God’s love.
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OpinionAs Christians, we may not realise how pro-life laws could potentially devalue the lives and dignity of the women they affect most
Sally Hope explores the tragic case of Adriana Smith - a Black nurse whose death and forced posthumous life support to preserve her pregnancy have ignited urgent ethical and theological questions. She challenges us to consider how pro-life laws may in fact devalue the lives and dignity of the women they affect most.
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OpinionDid you know sex can be illegal within marriage?
‘Reproductive coercion is a form of gender-based violence, it can take place both outside of and within married relationships and as a form of domestic abuse it affects Christian women at a similar rate to non-Christian women,’ says Sally Hope.
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OpinionMany women in the Bible used their sexuality to survive, and Jesus did not condemn them
Jesus made no comment at all about women who used their sexuality as a means of making a living. In fact, any condemnation the Bible makes of prostitution is reserved for the men who buy sex, not for the women who sell it,’ says Sally Hope.
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OpinionOne of the ways the Church can combat abuse is by considering its traditionally male hierarchy
‘Egalitarian leadership structures have been shown to combat the attitudes and beliefs that can lead to abuse, and to provide a protective factor when abuse does occur,’ argues Sally Hope.
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OpinionMany women in the Bible used their sexuality to survive, and Jesus did not condemn them
‘Jesus made no comment at all about women who used their sexuality as a means of making a living. In fact, any condemnation the Bible makes of prostitution is reserved for the men who buy sex, not for the women who sell it,’ says Sally Hope.
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OpinionAs a Christian mum of teenage boys I’m worried about the message OnlyFans influencer Bonnie Blue is giving to young men about women
While Bonnie Blue claims her content provides a better narrative for teenage boys than they would receive watching porn, Sally Hope suggests she’s not giving them anything different - or beneficial - at all.
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OpinionAs Christians we shouldn’t be worried by the decriminalisation of sex work
‘Those who oppose the decriminalisation of sex work tend to be activists who are ideologically driven by conservative social morality,’ says Sally Hope as she looks at what it would mean for sex workers if their jobs were legalised.
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OpinionIs your church dedicated to raising awareness of domestic abuse?
In response to the Northern Irish government action to end violence against women, Sally Hope suggests some resources for training.
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OpinionThe death of Rebecca Cheptegei at the hands of her ex-partner should be a wake up call to the Church
‘The murder of women, by the men who claim to love them is a worldwide problem, and the UK is not exempt from this,’ says Sally Hope, as she discusses why the Church needs step up to be part of the solution.
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OpinionWhy are app developers looking out for vulnerable women at the Olympics but the Church isn’t?
The tech industry shouldn’t be paving the way to keeping women safe; it should be us, says Sally Hope, as she looks into what is available to protect women at the Olympics and Paralympic Games.
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Opinion’Everyone is God’ is a new political party in the General Election 2024
The first sex worker has entered UK politics and Sally Hope considers if they should be taken seriously.
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OpinionUnderstanding sexual ethics in Christianity
Sally Hope says that the rules of Christianity are not stopping couples getting divorced and suffering sexual abuse. She suggests, ’By using love as our yardstick we will always choose the most moral course of action in any situation.’
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OpinionRussell Brand has been baptised, but the allegations of abuse towards women still need to be taken seriously
Sally Hope wonders if it is too soon to be parading Brand as an example of God’s redeeming power. How do we ensure our churches and our faith are not being used by a master manipulator to ingratiate himself with the public and to avoid justice?
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OpinionMoving on from divorce as a Christian woman
When her marriage ended, Sally Hope felt she had lost her identity and began to question who she was without it.
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OpinionNo Geri, you don’t have to “stand by your man”
Spice Girl Geri Halliwell’s marriage has been in the press recently, and while love does pull together and persevere through tough times, Sally Hope wonders, what are the behaviours we can expect - and excuse - within marriage?
