Religious Leaders Facing the Challenge of Domestic Violence

Religious leaders are in a unique position to address the issue of domestic violence. In addition to individual counseling (if approached), a leader may:

• Conduct a service dealing with domestic violence issues that offers spiritual support, guidance and practical resources on the issue of abuse.
• Provide information to the abused person (or to the community in general) about shelters, counseling programs, and other available resources that will help him or her to escape the abusive relationship.
• Gather extra clothing to donate to the abused person and his or her children in case they need to leave their home.
• Educate him or herself on the religious thinking for her or his faith on the issue of domestic violence. Often there are religious-affiliated women’s groups (at the national or local level) who have collected resources that consider sacred texts in light of assisting a woman who is abused.
  
  

Domestic Violence Information for Religious Professionals

The Center for the Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence is an inter-religious educational resource addressing issues of sexual and domestic violence. It offers books, conferences and videos on various aspects of religion and abuse. The current resources are primarily Christian and Jewish. Of particular note are the booklets in various languages that could be distributed to congregation members, guidelines for religious professionals on how to respond to issues of domestic violence in their communities, a policy statement on couples counseling, and articles on religious issues in family violence.

The Center’s goal is “ to engage religious leaders in the task of ending abuse, and to prepare human services professionals to recognize and attend to the religious questions and issues that may arise in their work with women and children in crisis. Our emphasis is on education and prevention.”

• An excellent addition to the library for Christian or Jewish clergy is a 302 page book entitled "Family Violence and Religion," compiled by Volcano Press in 1995. The book covers the myths about domestic violence, guidelines for talking to abusive husbands, and a risk scale to identify potentially lethal situations. Chapters also address cultural issues for Asian - Americans, African - Americans, Latinas and rural women. Religious - oriented material include chapters on Biblical scriptures that may be misinterpreted by Christian or Jewish clergy and believers, and how churches can respond to domestic violence.

Christian Resources

• Now that the Silence is Broken - a 56 page booklet produced by the Forward Movement Publications, an official agency of the national Episcopal Church. The booklet is designed for clergy, religious counselors and lay workers. The succinct overview provides general facts about domestic violence, indicators of various types of abuse, barriers to leaving and draws upon well-respected resources in the domestic violence advocacy community for this information. It also offers suggestions on "what a parish can do","pastoral pitfalls to avoid" and worship service ideas. The price is $1 per booklet and it can be ordered by going to the FMP website - www.forwardmovement.org and typing in Item No 1703 in the search box. (Without the item number the booklet is hard to find on the website.)
   

• What Every Congregation Needs to Know About Domestic Violence - A short article with a list of resources.

Jewish Resources

• Embracing Justice: A Resource Guide for Rabbis on Domestic Abuse Healing and Wholeness: A Resource Guide on Domestic Abuse in the Jewish Community. Information for rabbis or community professionals from the Jewish Women International. You can order the guide online.
   

• Shalom Task Force - The National Jewish Domestic Violence Hotline: (888) 883-2323

• Jewish Coalition Against Domestic Abuse (JCADA) - 6101 Montrose Rd., Room 202, Rockville, MD 20852, (301) 230-7284, (800) 883-2323 - Hotline. JCADA conducts a hotline and information and referral services to community resources and rabbis trained in domestic abuse. JCADA also provides educational programming and materials to area synagogues, women's groups, schools and other organizations. JCADA offers limited financial support.

Islamic Resources

• North American Council for Muslim Women - Box 942, Great Falls, VA  22026, (703) 641-8451, fax: (703) 641-8452, e-mail: nacmw@aol.com. The Council provides training, research and consultations on domestic abuse in the Muslim community. It does not provide direct service to victims.