Hope for Healing. Org
Domestic Violence Resource Sheet How the church can help:Talk about it!
␣ Preach it! Domestic violence is never ok. ␣ Pray for victims and abusers during your worship prayer time. ␣ Display the Hope Quilt or educational materials in a high traffic area in your church. ␣ Regularly publish the local hotline phone number in the church bulletin. ␣ Ask an advocate from your local center or from Hope for Healing.Org to come speak
at worship or to a group meeting. ␣ Put Hope for Healing.Org in your church budget. ␣ Collect items (such as used cell phones) on an ongoing basis. ␣ Get involved! Encourage your church group to volunteer with Hope for Healing.Org
or your local domestic violence program. ␣ Get training for yourself or your church. Host an Oasis training program by Hope for
Healing.Org for your district or for your church.
Create an atmosphere of safety.␣
Never counsel an abuser and a victim together. ␣
*Be open and willing to talk. ␣ Check your church’s Safe Sanctuary policy. Be sure everyone would know what to
do and where to go in the unlikely event of an emergency. ␣
*Make sure a land line telephone is within easy reach of the sanctuary and not just locked away in the pastor’s office.
*Put the church address on all church telephones. ␣ Put up posters and resource displays. ␣ Place safety cards in the bathroom. ␣ Host a self-defense class.
␣ Domestic violence does not have to be reported. Encourage the victim but do not force the victim to make a report.
␣ Do not try to assign blame or take sides. ␣ Avoid putting the pastor in the middle. ␣ Know your local resources and make appropriate referrals. ␣ Borrow books or videos from the Hope for Healing.Org lending library.
• Acknowledge that domestic violence is a problem that isn’t going to “just go away”. • Pray with the victim and offer appropriate, helpful, scriptures. • Be supportive and nonjudgemental. • Provide Christian friendship.
• Allow the victim to express pain and concerns. • Help the victim create a safety plan. • Encourage and help the victim to seek out local resources.
Local resources:
For more information please contact:
Hope for Healing.Org 153 E Broadway Blvd. #113 Jefferson City, TN 37760 Phone: 865.933.8769
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