{"id":32888,"date":"2022-09-10T16:27:05","date_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:27:05","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/good-intentions-lack-of-plans-mark-church-response-to-domestic-violence\/"},"modified":"2022-09-10T16:27:05","modified_gmt":"2022-09-10T21:27:05","slug":"good-intentions-lack-of-plans-mark-church-response-to-domestic-violence","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.biblia.work\/sermons\/good-intentions-lack-of-plans-mark-church-response-to-domestic-violence\/","title":{"rendered":"Good Intentions, Lack of Plans Mark Church Response to Domestic Violence"},"content":{"rendered":"
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By Bob Smietana<\/em><\/p>\n

When it comes to domestic violence, Protestant pastors want to be helpful but often don\u2019t know where to start.<\/p>\n

Most say their church would be a safe haven for victims of domestic violence.<\/p>\n

But many don\u2019t know if anyone in their church has been a victim of domestic violence. And only half say they have a plan in place to help if a victim comes forward.<\/p>\n

Those are among the findings of a new report on churches and domestic abuse from Nashville-based Lifeway Research, based on a phone survey of 1,000 Protestant senior pastors. Scott McConnell, executive director of Lifeway Research, said churches want to help victims of domestic violence but aren\u2019t always effective at doing so.<\/p>\n

\u201cMany pastors aren\u2019t aware if domestic violence is happening in their congregation,\u201d McConnell said. \u201cAnd even if they are aware, they often don\u2019t know how to help.\u201d<\/p>\n

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Churches see themselves as safe haven<\/strong><\/p>\n

Lifeway Research found most pastors (87 percent) strongly agree with the statement, \u201ca person experiencing domestic violence would find our church to be a safe haven.\u201d Eleven percent somewhat agree. One percent are not sure.<\/p>\n

Most pastors (89 percent) also agree their church regularly communicates that domestic violence is not OK\u2014with more than half (56 percent) who strongly agree.<\/p>\n

Yet almost half of pastors (47 percent) say they don\u2019t know if anyone in their church has been a victim of domestic violence in the last three years. A third (37 percent) say a church member has been a victim of domestic violence. Fifteen percent say no one has experienced domestic violence.<\/p>\n

Church size plays a role in whether pastors know of a domestic violence victim. Pastors at bigger churches, those with more than 250 attenders, are most likely (65 percent) to know of a victim of domestic violence in their church. Pastors at smaller churches, those with fewer than 50 attenders, are least likely to know of a victim (20 percent). Pastors in the West (45 percent) and Midwest (42 percent) are more likely to know of a victim than those in the South (33 percent).<\/p>\n

McConnell suspects there are more victims of domestic violence in churches than pastors realize. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, almost a quarter of American women (24.3 percent) and 1 in 7 men (13.8 percent) have \u201cexperienced severe physical violence by an intimate partner.\u201d Given those numbers, there are likely victims of violence even in a small church, McConnell said.<\/p>\n

\u201cStatistics on sinful activities consistently show that church attendees act better but are not without sin.\u201d he said. \u201cIt is na\u00efve to assume a church could remain immune to domestic violence.\u201d<\/p>\n

This lack of experience or awareness might explain why many churches don\u2019t have a plan to assist victims of domestic violence, McConnell said.<\/p>\n

Only about half of churches (52 percent) have a plan to assist victims of domestic abuse. Forty-five percent have no plan. Two percent of pastors aren\u2019t aware of a plan.<\/p>\n

Most churches with 250 or more people have a plan (73 percent). So do many Methodist (63 percent) and Pentecostal (66 percent) churches. Fewer Baptist (52 percent), Presbyterian\/Reformed (45 percent), Holiness (45 percent), Lutheran (44 percent) or Church of Christ (41 percent) churches have one.<\/p>\n

Among the resources churches offer to victims:<\/p>\n

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  • Three-quarters (76 percent) have a referral list for professional counselors.<\/li>\n
  • Two-thirds (64 percent) have finances to assist victims.<\/li>\n
  • Sixty-one percent can provide victims a safe place to stay.<\/li>\n
  • About half (53 percent) have a referral list for legal help.<\/li>\n
  • Half (49 percent) have someone in the church who has experienced domestic violence victims can talk to.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    Churches also offer other assistance like referrals to shelters or state agencies, pastoral care and support groups.<\/p>\n

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    The kind of help offered to domestic violence victims can vary by denomination.<\/p>\n

    Baptists (66 percent) and churches with more than 250 attenders (68 percent) are more likely to offer victims a safe place to stay. Lutherans (55 percent) and Methodists (54 percent), as well as churches with fewer than 50 attenders (55 percent), are less likely.<\/p>\n

    Baptist (71 percent), Presbyterian\/Reformed (67 percent) and Church of Christ (67 percent) churches are more likely to have financial resources to help victims of domestic violence than Methodist (53 percent) or Lutheran (49 percent) churches.<\/p>\n

    Bigger churches are most likely to be able to connect a victim with someone who has experienced abuse (65 percent). Pentecostals (61 percent) are more likely than Presbyterian\/Reformed (43 percent), Methodist (42 percent) and Lutheran (35 percent) pastors to be able to connect a victim with someone else who has been through a similar experience.<\/p>\n

    Divorce leads to skepticism<\/strong><\/p>\n

    The issue of divorce is one roadblock for churches that want to help victims of domestic abuse.<\/p>\n

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    If a church member files for divorce and cites domestic violence as a cause, pastors often respond with skepticism. Fifty-nine percent believe divorce may be the best option. Few say couples should not divorce (3 percent) in cases of domestic violence. About half (56 percent) say they\u2019d believe domestic violence was really present. Sixty percent say they\u2019d investigate the claims of domestic violence. Only 1 percent of pastors would doubt such violence took place. The study showed 43 percent of pastors are unwilling to say whether or not they believe abuse took place.<\/p>\n

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    See also  Pastors Identify 7 Spiritual Needs for Their Life, Ministry<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
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    Lutheran (70 percent), Methodist (63 percent) and Presbyterian\/Reformed pastors (62 percent) are most likely to believe domestic violence took place if a church member files for divorce and cites domestic violence as a caus. Baptist (49 percent) and Pentecostal (40 percent) pastors are less likely.<\/p>\n

    Baptist (70 percent), Pentecostal (70 percent) and Holiness (76 percent) pastors are more likely to investigate claims of domestic violence. Lutherans (52 percent), Presbyterian\/Reformed (47 percent) and Methodists (39 percent) are less likely.<\/p>\n

    Domestic violence still complicated for churches<\/strong><\/p>\n

    A previous Lifeway study found domestic violence is rarely discussed in Protestant church settings. In that study, 4 in 10 pastors said they rarely or never addressed the issue. Another 22 percent discuss the issue once a year.<\/p>\n

    Julie Owens, a North Carolina-based consultant who has designed domestic violence prevention programs for churches and the Department of Justice, said churches want to be safe havens for victims. But there\u2019s no way for a victim to know a church is a safe place if the pastor never discusses the issues.<\/p>\n

    She also fears churches often do more harm than good in cases of domestic abuse. Launching an investigation into claims of abuse, for example, can put a victim at risk, she said. If a pastor talks to an alleged abuser, the abuser will often deny the claims and then retaliate against the victim of domestic violence.<\/p>\n

    And abusers often know how to manipulate pastors, she said. Abusers will ask for forgiveness and say they want to reconcile with their spouses\u2014and that\u2019s what pastors want to hear, she said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIt can be a lot easier to believe the abuser than to help a victim,\u201d she said. \u201cHelping a victim is a lot harder.\u201d
    Ensuring a victim\u2019s safety has to come first, she said. That often means connecting victims to outside resources like counselors, shelters and law enforcement. Pastors and churches, she said, aren\u2019t always equipped to deal with the complicated needs of domestic violence victims.<\/p>\n

    \u201cChurches underestimate the spiritual, psychological and emotional damage done by domestic abuse,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

    Ignoring the issue in public settings can undermine a church\u2019s efforts to help domestic violence victims, said McConnell.<\/p>\n

    \u201cYou can have great resources in place to help victims\u2014but if no one knows they exist, those resources won\u2019t do any good,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

    Sidebar:<\/strong><\/h3>\n

    Former victim: Churches need to treat domestic abuse with care<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Investigating claims of domestic violence can backfire for churches, said radio host and speaker Autumn Miles, who partnered with Lifeway Research on a study about churches and domestic violence.<\/p>\n

    Miles, a past victim of domestic abuse, said it\u2019s difficult for victims to come forward and ask a church for help. And when they do, they often need immediate assistance. They can\u2019t wait for a church to do an investigation before deciding to help.<\/p>\n

    Miles said churches sometimes confuse ministry with church discipline when it comes to domestic violence. Their first response should be to help, she said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf a woman comes forward and says, \u2018I need help\u2014I am being abused,\u2019 a church needs to respond,\u201d she said. \u201cThere\u2019s a lot to lose if churches get this wrong.\u201d<\/p>\n

    One of the best ways to help, Miles said, is for churches to have a plan in place. That way they don\u2019t have to scramble to figure out a response.<\/p>\n

    When Miles first came to leaders at her church about the domestic violence she experienced, she said they were caught off guard. Church leaders had a hard time believing her claims were true, she said\u2014in part because they didn\u2019t think domestic violence could happen in the church. But domestic violence can happen anywhere, she said.<\/p>\n

    \u201cIf you have more than three people in your church\u2014this is a possibility for you,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

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    Bob Smietana<\/h2>\n

    @bobsmietana<\/strong><\/p>\n

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    Bob is the former senior writer for Lifeway Research. In September 2018, he joined Religion News Service, where he currently serves as a national writer.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n