Violence in Families: The Development of a Program to Enable Clergy to Provide Support

TLDR: In this paper, the authors describe a survey of clergy which indicated the nature and incidence of abuse as a pastoral concern for clergy, the extent to which they were equipped to deal with it, and their perceived needs with regard to training.

Abstract: The responsibility of the religious community to take proactive measures to face up to the issue of violence in the family was addressed by the Anglican Church in Western Australia. This paper describes a survey of clergy which indicated the nature and incidence of abuse as a pastoral concern for clergy, the extent to which they were equipped to deal with it, and their perceived needs with regard to training. Analysis of this descriptive data provided the framework for the development of a training program. Trialling and evaluation of the program resulted in the publication of a curriculum package to equip clergy and church workers to respond appropriately to the pastoral needs of the abused, and to take the opportunity to reflect on their related beliefs and values. A similar approach is recommended for community or professional groups wishing to become familiar with the characteristics, causes, and outcomes of domestic violence.