A “circular letter” from the Vatican to all bishops conferences around the world was released May 16, 2011, and presents guidelines for bishops in developing policies on dealing with clergy who molest children. The Vatican also released a summary of the circular letter and a note from American Cardinal William Levada, head of the Vatican’s Congregation for the Doctrine of the […]

Read a copy of the John Jay College report, titled “The Causes and Context of Sexual Abuse of Minors by Catholic Priests in the United States, 1950-2010.” The report’s analysis received a great deal of criticism from all sides and continues to generate debate. The report also called on the bishops to develop further uniform and transparent […]

The Hamdard Center for Health and Human Services in Addison, in suburban Chicago, is a shelter that caters mainly to Muslim women; it does not serve pork and has prayer rugs available.

The Muslim Community Center for Human Services in Richland Hills, Texas, includes a medical clinic, eye clinic, dental clinic and domestic violence services for Muslims in North Texas.

The Refugee Women’s Alliance is a multiethnic community organization that provides comprehensive services to refugee and immigrant women and families in the Puget Sound area of Washington state. Its clients include Muslims.

Read a Jan. 6, 2008, New York Times story about domestic violence in Muslim families in the U.S.

Karamah: Muslim Women Lawyers for Human Rights provides counseling and legal referrals for victims of domestic violence.

A directory of Islam experts is posted by the Minaret of Freedom Institute, the Association of Muslim Social Scientists of North America and the International Institute of Islamic Thought in the areas of business, economic development, education, human rights, gender studies and more.

Michael Peletz is an anthropology professor at Emory University in Atlanta. He is an expert on Islam and politics in Malaysia, Indonesia and other parts of Southeast Asia.