Domestic Violence: What Every Pastor Needs to Know

by Al Miles

Domestic violence is as ancient as the family unit itself. And according to the American Medical Association, one quarter of American women will be abused by an intimate partner at some point in their lives. Ministers can help care for these victims. Loving and sensitive support can make a tremendous difference to survivors as they struggle with the long and difficult process of healing and regaining trust in themselves and others. Often, however, pastoral caregivers possess the same misconceptions about domestic violence as does the uninformed public. Miles addresses the issues related to inadequate pastoral response to this pervasive problem. He explores the dynamics of abusive relationships and the role which clergy members can take to heal this painful situation.

Genres: Reference, Abuse, Nonfiction

212 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 2000

Reviews

[Sunnie Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

This small book is a first-rate, first step into the world of domestic/sexual abuse. As a survivor of two abusive marriages, I thought I knew everything to deal with these situations. Man, was I wrong. Well, maybe not totally wrong, but uneducated into the other side of the equation. An excellent first step into the educational process surrounding this type of abuse. Highly recommended.

[Mike Kilcrease · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a must read for every person in ministry. We cannot ignore the problem of domestic violence and we cannot be caught unprepared to help those affected by it. This book is a great resource to get some basic understanding of the issues and can help define an approach to domestic violence in the church.

[TJ · Rating 5 out of 5]

A must read for all pastors

[T.Kay Browning · Rating 4 out of 5]

Written for a much more conservative denominational setting then my own, but still a lot of great stuff here.