1. Domestic Violence Religious Perspectives

2. Objectives l Educate about the basic dynamics of domestic violence l Motivate to be supportive of battered women and call batterers to account l Illustrate ways to work on prevention l Illustrate how secular and religious communities can work together

3. Domestic Violence “a pattern of abuse and control exercised by one person over another in an intimate relationship”

4. Discussion Questions l What characteristics did these women have in common? In what ways were they different? l In what ways did their husbands control them? l In what ways do you think the church or synagogue could have supported these women when they came for help?

5. When a woman reports she is battered l Listen, believe her, avoid blaming her l Help her protect herself l Get expert help l Hold the abuser accountable l Don’t use mediation l Don’t do couple counseling l Don’t use the crisis as a means to evangelize

6. Abuse Prevention l Speak out in sermons against battering and for equality and mutual respect in relationships l Deal with equality, conflict, violence, control in pre-marital counseling l Use available child & teenage curricula to help prevent domestic violence

7. Laying the foundation l Establish committee on domestic violence l Get special education and training l Connect with a battered women’s shelter l Open a transitional house as cong. project l Invite domestic violence professionals to address adult classes l Have brochures available l Make it clear that violence is not acceptable family behavior l Speak up when someone tells a wife-beating joke

8. Where to get more information l Center for Prevention of Sexual and Domestic Violence –936 North 34th Street, Suite 200 –Seattle, Washington 98103 –(206) 634-1903 –FAX (206) 634-0115