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

Treatment

Perpetrators of domestic violence may need substance abuse treatment and batterer treatment. It is important to note that substance abuse treatment alone does not suffice. It is imperative that chemically dependent abusers receive treatments for both substance abuse and battering.

Suggest counseling and education for batterers. Call your domestic violence agency to obtain information on local resources. Anoka County resources include:

• Domestic Abuse Program, Central Center for Family Resources: 763-783-4990
• Alcoholics Anonymous: 763-421-9923
• Community resource list

There is no short-term solution to a life of violence.

The safety of the survivor and children is your highest priority. Engaging the batterer in a change process is your second priority.

Standards for batterers' treatment programs – Philosophy statement**

• Violence can never be condoned under any circumstances. There is no such thing as the provocation theory; all abusive behavior is the sole responsibility of the batterer.
• Provisions for the safety of the victims/survivors and their children should be utmost in any decision or policy
• The primary goal of treatment programs for batterers is to end the violent, abusive and controlling behaviors.*
• Violence as a choice is a learned behavioral response and can be unlearned in an educational/therapeutic group setting.
• Domestic violence and alcohol abuse are often intertwined, although they do not share a cause and effect relationship. They must be treated as separate issues and perpetrators must address the chemical abuse issue before beginning a domestic abuse program.
• Child witnesses or victims of domestic violence suffer long-term emotional and behavioral consequences and often grow up to repeat the intergenerational cycle, either as perpetrator or a victim.

*Controlling behaviors maintain an imbalance of power between the abuser and his or her partner. It includes any act that causes the victim to do something she doesn't want to do and prevents the survivor from doing something she wants to do or causes fear.

**Reprinted with permission from the Domestic Abuse Project, 204 W. Franklin Avenue, Mpls, MN, 55404.