The response of christian clergy to domestic violence: Help or hindrance?

This paper reviews the literature regarding Christian clergy as a resource for victims of domestic violence, a common threat to women. Although assistance is available, there are more victims than resources, resulting in many women having limited to no help at all. One resource for victims is the cl...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Aggression and violent behavior 2005-09, Vol.10 (6), p.647-659
Main Authors: Shannon-Lewy, Colleen, Dull, Valerie T.
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Adult
Biological and medical sciences
Clergy
Counseling
Domestic violence
Family Violence
Medical sciences
Psychology. Psychoanalysis. Psychiatry
Psychopathology. Psychiatry
Religion
Religious Beliefs
Victimology
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Summary:This paper reviews the literature regarding Christian clergy as a resource for victims of domestic violence, a common threat to women. Although assistance is available, there are more victims than resources, resulting in many women having limited to no help at all. One resource for victims is the clergy, who are often perceived as respected members of the community and have the authority to make suggestions or even interventions about family issues. However, the literature suggests that cleric theological beliefs may hinder their ability to counsel victims, and the effectiveness of cleric ability to counsel victims varies greatly. Future directions for research are suggested in order to understand what factors influence cleric attitudes and counseling abilities.
ISSN:1359-1789
1873-6335
DOI:10.1016/j.avb.2005.02.004