The true God of scripture defends and honors women. God made man in his image, male and female. And throughout the Old Testament, you have the stories of women who God used mightily. I think of Deborah, Ruth, and others. The Old Testament scriptures give a voice to women. There were provisions in Israel for the protection of women in the ancient world. One of the shocking things about God, especially in the context of the ancient world, is that the God of the Bible identifies with and cares for groups that in that day were often subject to abuse and mistreatment: widows, orphans, and strangers. God advocated for them and upheld them in a society where they were cast aside.