16th April 2015

Public Health England - guidance for faith leaders on domestic abuse

Public Health England has launched guidance for faith leaders on domestic abuse. This guidance provides knowledge and support to faith leaders on how to respond to domestic abuse within their faith communities.

This guidance has been commissioned by Public Health England and developed by Faith Action. This guidance is meant to complement AVA’s toolkit for faith leaders, faith organisations and members of faith communities by providing the perspectives of faith leaders themselves. Faith Action is a network of faith-based and community organisations serving their communities by delivering public services. Faith is often a resource, a place of support, solace, reflection, refuge and renewal for many. Faith leaders are trusted and respected within their community and have a wide range of experience providing care, counselling, support to people experiencing distress.

However, as domestic abuse occurs across all incomes, ethnicities and faiths in England, domestic abuse may be occurring within each faith community. Faith leaders have strong potential to respond to the domestic abuse occurring within their communities. This guidance builds upon the resources and strengths of faith leaders. Faith leaders are provided with knowledge about domestic abuse, how to ask about it safely, how to respond supportively and how to engage with local support services. Faith leaders may be able to identify and support people who are experiencing domestic abuse who would not access support elsewhere. Faith leaders may also raise awareness within their communities to challenge and prevent domestic abuse.

Faith Action was able to draw upon its network of faith leaders to create guidance that is relevant, respected, religiously and theologically sound. Various perspectives from different faith communities were built upon. There can be uncertainty on how to respond, a tension between a faith-based focus on marriage, family and community and how to respond to domestic abuse. There can also be a misuse and misinterpretation of faith-based teachings to justify abuse. This guidance responds by providing various examples of religious texts and interpretations that clearly forbid abuse and emphasize peace, compassion and forgiveness.

In using this guidance, faith leaders raise awareness about domestic abuse within their communities and help support people experiencing domestic abuse.