Geoffrey W. Sutton PhD, Psychology and Culture

  Before Punishment When I was born, women could vote in some countries but they definitely were in second place when it came to having the same rights as men. After significant progress in many nations, she remains a solid number two when it comes to sacred places. When I was writing  Eve, a Serpent, and a Woman's Place , I was struck by the power of men's narratives and interpretations of the Bible to remain in control of women's lives. Following is an excerpt from Chapter 2 of the book illustrating where inequality began for women in nations where Christian denominations and groups had strong influence over laws and customs. ***** Five days have gone by. God has been busy creating the heavens and planet earth then filling the fertile empty spaces with heavenly bodies, plants, and animals. Then, on the sixth day, God speaks to his heavenly council and says (Genesis 1, verse 26): “Let us make man in Our image…” The rest is history—a story pregnant with a plethora of meani...

The Psychological Mechanisms that Lead Institutions to Side with Abusers Organizations often respond to allegations of abuse with surprising defensiveness, offering protection to powerful insiders while showing little compassion for the people who report harm. This pattern appears across sectors—politics, religion, business—and raises a difficult question: why do groups so often rally around the accused rather than support the victim? Consider three familiar scenarios: A political aide reports sexual abuse by a well liked male politician. Party leaders quickly close ranks, defending him publicly while circulating stories that cast doubt on her credibility. A charismatic megachurch pastor engages in a six month sexual relationship with a woman who sought him out for pastoral care. When she later names the experience as abuse, the church board emphasizes his community impact and stands firmly behind him. An employee tells a board member that the CEO misrepresented salary and benefits dur...