Features

Domestic abuse: resources available to churches in Scotland

October 30, 2006

A report by ACTS' Church & Society Network

In case anyone still needs convincing...

A 24 hour snapshot of research and statistical gathering of information was carried out on September 28th 2000, The Day To Count. The agencies involved were varied and wide-ranging from the police to Women’s Aid, Victim Support and Relate. On that ordinary September day, the following statistics emerged:

Every minute police in the UK receive a call about domestic violence. On that day:
- 81% of the calls were women attacked by male perpetrators
- 8% were men attacked by women
- 4% were women attacked by women
- 7% were men attacked by men.
These situations include partners and ex-partners, both currently living together and living separately.

In 1999, 37% of women murder victims in England & Wales were killed by a present or former partner (two women a week) compared with 6% of male murder victims. (Annual Statistics England and Wales, Home Office, 1999)

In any one day, nearly 7,000 women and children are sheltering from violence in refuges in the UK. An estimated 19,910 women and 28,520 children stayed in a refuge during the year ending the 31st March 1998 (Women’s Aid, 1999). On the Day to Count, 300 women asked for refuge in the UK, and could not be accommodated in already full refuges.

The experience of domestic abuse in the church

In 1999, the Methodist Church of GB commissioned research from the University of Surrey, Roehampton. The research , based on 557 completed questionnaires and some interviews, showed that domestic abuse is clearly an issue that has affected the lives of many Church members, especially, though not exclusively, women. Whilst 83% said that they had never personally experienced domestic abuse in their relationships, 17% of the questionnaire respondents had done so, 13% several times and 4% frequently. The prevalence and the type of abuse reported showed stark differences in the experiences of men and women. One in four female respondents (the same level as found in the British Crime Survey 1999) and one in nine male respondents reported personally experiencing domestic abuse from a partner as an adult. The main perpetrators of domestic abuse were husbands and male partners (53% of situations).

Domestic abuse often persists over a long period. While 25% of those who had experienced abuse had done so for a year or less (this included some male respondents who described ‘one off’ incidents), 54% had experienced it for up to five years and 21% for ten years or more. One female minister reported living with her abuser for 30 years. Nine respondents said that the abuse was still going on. One in five respondents (19%) had lived with and witnessed domestic abuse as children.

Information about church resources: World Council of Churches

Streams of Grace: a large collection of examples of good practice with regard to violence against women from churches around the world. it covers resource packs, study guides, workshop material, conferences and consultations, workshops for education and empowerment, projects and programmes, policies and protocols and further resources and contacts. In each case, the material or event is described and contact information supplied. Helen Hood has a few copies of Streams of Grace, otherwise it is available as a pdf document.

Reports, policies and guidelines: Methodist Church of Great Britain

Research: Domestic Violence and the Methodist Church – The Way Forward? Possibly the only research on the issue specifically commissioned by a church.

Report: Domestic Abuse (2005), arising from the research, includes well-grounded discussion in sections on Setting the Scene, Theology, What Could be the Underlying Principles of a Methodist Church Response to Domestic Abuse? and Policy, Guidelines and Discipline. The associated Good Practice Guidelines additionally contain a two page list of useful resources. The Report and Guidelines can be downloaded as Word documents.

Church of Scotland

The 2003 Church and Nation report to the General Assembly included (pp.12/6-12/24 in the ‘Blue Book’)) a report on Domestic Abuse. This looked at how domestic abuse is to be defined, and discussed it in the context of Christianity, faith responses and the Church. Examples were given of work already happening in Scotland, and recommendations made for the Church. All Boards, Committees, Presbyteries and Kirk Sessions were instructed to study the report and action the relevant sections of the recommendations, reporting progress to the 2005 Assembly.

Church of England

Responding to Domestic Abuse: Guidelines for those with pastoral responsibility (pdf) is a very thorough, newly published document (2 October) from the Church of England. It includes information about domestic abuse and the Church’s theological approach in addition to the guidelines themselves, plus useful appendices on Harmful theology, Challenging myths, excuses and denial, Needs of children & young people, Needs of survivors – a survivor’s perspective, Experiences of women in black & minority ethnic communities and Elder abuse. Printed version published by Church House Publishing (£5.99), available from Christian bookshops including Church House Bookshop, 31 Great Smith Street, London SW1P 3BN, tel 020-7898 1300 or e-mail.

Study and training materials: Ecumenical Planning Group

In 2002, an ecumenical planning group, representing the major Christian churches and organisations in Scotland, ran a very successful conference on domestic abuse called No Exceptions … A Faith Perspective on the myths and realities of domestic abuse – it’s time to face the facts and speak the truth. Subsequently, the group ran a study day on the same theme. Based on this experience, in November 2003, the group produced an Information/Training Pack for organisers of conferences or study days raising awareness on issues of abuse. The Pack, which may be freely photocopied, can be downloaded from the National Commission for Social Care.

Prayer & Reflection: Church of Scotland

In 2004, churches worldwide became involved in the ’16 Days of Activism against Gender Violence’, 25 November to 10 December, using the title On the Wings of a Dove. Since then, the Church of Scotland Guild every year produces materials for prayer and reflection during the ’16 Days’.

Scottish Episcopal Church
The SEC’s Prayer and Action calendar devotes the month of September to the concern of domestic violence. There are prayers, information and ideas for action as well as contact numbers provided in a very attractive layout. (Please note, the WCC Project listed has closed and Vashti now operates via a post office box rather than a phoneline.)

Scottish Executive

It is worth noting that, since its creation, the Scottish Executive has done some excellent work on the issue of domestic abuse, in particular the National Strategy to Address Domestic Abuse which is currently being implemented.