Introduction

Manual Overview

BOOK I: Faith Community Curriculum for Clergy and Lay Leaders

BOOK II: Family Violence: Helping Survivors and Abusers – A Manual for Faith Communities
Purpose
Definitions
Survivors:
   - Characteristics
   - Indicators of Abuse
   - Actions to Consider
   - Safety Concerns
   - Crisis Counseling and
      Spiritual Support
   - Asking a question:
      Is your partner hurting you?
Abusers (batterers):
   - Understanding Abusers
   - Interventions
   - Treatment
   - Safety Issues
   - Use of Scripture
Marriage and Relationship:
Understanding Scripture Intent
Marriage Preparation:
   - Key Elements
   - Early Warning Signs
   - I Corinthians 13
Supportive background materials:
   - ABC's of Men Who Batter
   - Abuser Quotes
   - Myths About Abusers
   - Self-Assessment Tool
   - Alexandra House Safety Plan
   - Checklist - What to take
     when you leave
Minnesota Metro
Community Resources
Sources and Acknowledgments

BOOK III: Pastor’s Packet: Family Violence Awareness Materials for Pastors

BOOK IV: Curriculum for Laity

Appendix

Safety issues

Assess lethality*
There is no question that many abusers can be extremely dangerous. Their threats should be taken very seriously. If you can connect one or more of the following findings to the abuser or perpetrator, the element of danger to the survivor and the children increases exponentially.

• Threat of homicide or suicide.
• Fantasies of homicide or suicide: has the person developed a plan as to how a murder would be completed?
• Weapons: does the batterer possess weapons? Has the batterer threatened to use them? Threatened members of the family with a weapon?
• Does the batterer insist that the partner is property and belongs only to him or her? "Death before divorce," or "You will never belong to another." A batterer who believes he or she is absolutely entitled to the partner; the partner's services, obedience and loyalty, no matter what, is likely to be life-endangering.
• Idolization of the partner or heavy dependence on the partner to organize and sustain his or her life and/or is isolated from the larger community.
• Separation violence: can't imagine living life without the partner.
• Depression: candidate for homicide or suicide. Research shows that many men who are hospitalized for depression have homicidal fantasies directed at family members.
• Access to partner and/or to family members in the presence of other factors.
• Repeated outreach to law enforcement.
• Escalation of risks: the batterer takes actions without regard to the legal or social consequences that previously constrained violent behavior.
• Hostage taking.

Action when safety concerns exist:
If you have a concern for the survivor and family members based on findings from the checklist above:

• Take measures to protect the survivor and children.
• Strongly voice your concerns and their basis to the survivor and abuser.
• Keep the location of the survivor and children confidential.
• Do not try to handle this situation without local authorities. Seek guidance from advocacy services and law enforcement.
• Protect yourself from danger.
• Be sure you are safe in your office.

*Adapted from: Assessing Whether Batterers Will Kill, by Barbara Hart, 1990. Reprinted with permission from the PA Coalition Against Domestic Violence, 6400 Flank Drive, Suite 1300, Harrisburg, PA, 17112.

Batterers must not be diverted from prosecution.