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Engaging Faith Communities in the Prevention & Intervention of Abuse
Length: 1.25 Hours
Individuals experiencing abuse often first disclose to informal support networks, including faith leaders. However, faith leaders and religious communities often have little training on how to respond to abuse and are unprepared for these conversations. This presentation will review research statistics on clergy response and then discuss ways to engage with faith leaders, encourage them to create safer faith communities, and collaborate for the benefit of victims and survivors. We will discuss cultivating and nurturing connections with faith communities, the ethical integration of faith and practice, how to approach the topic of domestic violence policy in congregations, and how survivor spirituality can help empower healing and hope.
Objectives: At the conclusion of this session, participants will be able to:
1. Explore three strategies for improving faith leader responses to abuse.
2. Develop two ways to cultivate and improve community collaboration.
3. Discuss continued momentum toward healing for survivors.
*This presentation was originally recorded at IVAT’s 21st Hawai`i International Summit on Preventing, Assessing & Treating Trauma Across the Lifespan, April 8th-11th, 2024 in Honolulu, Hawai`i*
Rev. Geneece Goertzen, LMSW, MDiv, PhD student, Baylor University
Rev. Gen is a survivor of more than two decades of domestic violence who has turned that experience into advocacy for others. After escaping abuse, she returned to school to complete master’s degrees in theology and social work, was ordained as a minister, and is now working on her PhD in the School of Social Work at Baylor University. She has taught numerous workshops on abuse, serves on the board of directors for the Family Abuse Center in Waco, and alongside the Texas Council on Family Violence, has testified before the state legislature on bills that affect victims and survivors. She is currently working on a study grant through the Louisville Institute, conducting research on resiliency in survivors and how faith affects healing after abuse. Her book, a guide for faith leaders in best practices regarding the response to domestic violence in their congregations, is due out in 2024.
