Re. progress, the less-than-satisfying answer is that it’s happening slowly. I wish it was faster. But I’d prefer it to be done more thoroughly, and not just in a ‘flavour-of-the-month’ way. More training is needed, and by more qualified persons than me. I am very much still a learner. However I did get helpful feedback from the particular training session I led about things I could do better.

The other thing to say – about measurement – is that in a very diversified and localised institution – the Diocese has 270 + parishes, with perhaps three or four times as many congregations within them, plus organisations – it’s going to be very hard to measure. Who would be able to trawl through all sermons preached on marriage in those various congregations this year and compare them to say two years ago?

In terms of measuring levels of DV – or rather reported levels – that would be a much more longitudinal study. Unfortunately, by and large in Australia (in any denomination as far as I know), it’s not been measured at all, so we don’t have a base line. And reporting overall is a fraught issue, because it is so painful and hidden.

Still there is a pretty strong argument that it could be an area of research, don’t you think?

http://www.women.nsw.gov.au/violence_prevention/domestic_and_family_violence_app

Some mistakes Christians have made
* We have fooled ourselves that domestic violence does not happen in Christian homes – thus we have failed to hear and failed to believe.
* We have clutched at simplistic tools.
* We have wrongly applied ‘forgiveness’
* We have overestimated the power and influence of our having a ‘word to the offender.’
* The tools we have given perpetrators have been inadequate.
* We have assisted him or her to evade reality or the need to do the deep work of change.
* We have short changed on what repentance needs to look like.
* We have underestimated the grip wrong behaviour has in lives.
* We have failed to direct to professionals who may be able to assist in the hard work of change.
* We have been tempted to collude that this behaviour is just a matter of private morality for the offender, under-emphasising the fact that the behaviour is also a crime, and that there are very long term consequences for victims.
* The tools we have given victims have often been simplistic,
* Often advocating forgiveness prematurely.
* Often implying that forgiveness only has one shape – the automatic reinstatement of someone back to the same position from which they can still harm others.

Read the full article here…

http://www.anglicantas.org.au/resources-domesticviolence/