Domestic Violence Resources
For Clergy and Churches
Upcoming Events
Research shows that 7 out of 10 victims of domestic abuse start seeking help from their religious community.
One in four women in the United States is a victim of domestic abuse at some time in her life. Domestic violence cuts across all divisions of class, race, and ethnicity. Often it is a hidden issue in the church, because it is rarely preached about. Rarely are there indications on church websites or on bulletin boards that this is an issue of concern. As a result there are no signals to a victim that this is a safe place to go for counsel and support.
Domestic Violence isn’t just about physical or sexual abuse. It is about humiliation, intimidation, isolation, threats to hurt children and pets, threats to call child welfare to have children removed. It is first and foremost about Power and Control.
Women and men who are being abused need to know that they can find a safe place in our congregations to make their needs known. We have to send them signals that we understand what they are going through and we are there to help.
Resources
Here (below and in the right-hand menu) are links to online resources as well as downloadable copies of some critical items that can be helpful in beginning a ministry to address this need.
Connect NYC
Connect , which is based in New York City, was founded by several veterans of the domestic violence movement who recognized that among domestic violence services, prevention work was virtually non-existent and that while the availability of direct services for survivors had improved over the years, the prevalence of domestic violence had not diminished. Today, we’ve created programs to work on three levels: individual, community and systemic.
Click here or on the link in the right-hand menu to visit the Connect website.
Downloadable Resources (Dropbox folder)
including
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- Printable bathroom signs in English and Spanish
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- Checklist for starting a domestic violence ministry in your faith community
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- Pastoral care guidelines in response to abusers
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- Pastoral care guidelines in response to survivors of domestic violence
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- Policy Statement on domestic violence couples counseling.
Mission Office Contacts
The Rev. Yamily Bass-Choate
Liaison for Global Mission
Office: 212-316-7432
Fax: 212-932-7345
ybass-choate@dioceseny.org
The Rt. Rev. Mary D. Glasspool
Bishop Assistant
Office: 212-316-7442
bpglasspool@dioceseny.org
Ms. Michelle Chang
Executive Assistant to the Bishop Suffragan and the Assistant Bishop
Office: 212-316-7484
Fax: 212-316-7405
mchang@dioceseny.org
- Domestic Abuse Intervention Programs (Duluth Model – external link)
- Faith Trust Institute (Extensive domestic and sexual violence resources)