Date

Deborah Rosenbloom, JD/MPA, Jewish Women International

Sharon O’Brien, Ph.D. Catholics For Family Peace/National Catholic

School of Social Service

The Catholic University of America

Salma Elkadi Abugideiri, LPC, Peaceful Families Project

Faith MattersSupporting Jewish, Christian, and Muslim Families

Experiencing Domestic Violence

This webinar was supported by Grant #90EV0440-01-00 awarded by the

Department of Health and Human Services. The viewpoints contained in this

document are solely the responsibility of the authors and do not represent the

official views or policies of the department and do not in any way constitute an

endorsement by the Department of Health and Human Services.

Disclaimer

• Understand how faith can be a resource or a barrier to hope, help & healing

• Learn best practices for supporting DV survivors for whom faith is critical to

identity and/or decision-making

• Consider how to work with perpetrators for whom faith is critical to identity

• Learn best practices for engaging faith leaders as allies

Objectives

• It’s a lens through which people interpret what happens in their lives

• It’s a lens through which people make meaning of their lives

• It’s a source of identity

• It’s a source of community

Why Does Faith Matter?

List Stereotypes of Jews

List Stereotypes of Christians

List Stereotypes of Muslims

Demographics

•Between 5.4 million - 7.1 million

•98% urban or suburban

(largest communities in NY, LA, DC, Chicago, Philadelphia, Boston, Miami)

•25% household income $150,000+, 5% below national poverty line, 19% age 65+

•1/10 born in Russia or Russian parent, Iran, Syria, Iraq, Israel, Argentina

Jewish Community in America

Community structures

•3,000 synagogues

•Community based federations and Jewish Family Services

•Schools, summer camps, national youth movements

Denominational Preference

•Orthodox: 10%

•Conservative: 26%

•Reform: 35%

•Just Jewish: 25%

Sources: National Jewish Data 2000-01 - www.jewishdatabank.org;

https://www.pewforum.org/2013/10/01/jewish-american-beliefs-attitudes-culture-survey/

Jewish Community in America

• Religious laws guide daily living - food, prayer, marital relations, & Sabbath

and holiday observance.

• The synagogue is the house of worship.

• Rabbis are the spiritual leaders. Traditionally, only men were rabbis.

• The Torah (5 books of Moses, Old Testament) is the book of Divine Law.

• The Talmud contains the legal discussions interpreting the Torah.

Jewish Community in America

70.9% of the U.S. population identifies as Christian.

Christian denominations

•Evangelical Protestant 25.4%

•Catholic 20.8%

•Mainline Protestant 14.7%

Christianity in America

Importance of Religion in the lives of Christians:

•Very 68%

•Somewhat 25%

Marital Status among Christians

•Married 52%

•Divorced/Separated 14%

•Never Married 21%

Source: Pew Research Center, Religion in Public Life, 2019,

https://www.pewforum.org/religious-landscape-study/

Christianity in America

Christians are united in these Basic Beliefs:

• We believe One God in Three Divine Persons: God the Father, Jesus Christ as

the Son of God, and the Holy Spirit.

• God became a human being in Jesus of Nazareth, who preached a message

of mercy and love, was executed, rose from death, and ascended into heaven

• God's Word is found in the Bible, made up of the Hebrew Scriptures, Gospels,

and letters of the early Apostles.

• Christians vary in their organizational structures and understanding of church

authority. Catholics have the Pope as leader of world-wide Church.

Christian Community in America

• About 1-2% of total US population

• Most diverse faith group in US (Gallup, Muslim West Facts Project)

• Largest groups are South Asian & Arab immigrants & African Americans (Pew,

2017)

• 75% are immigrant or children of immigrants

• 82% are American citizens

• Growing number of White, Latino & Caribbean converts. Fastest growing

religious group in the world (Pew, 2017)

Muslim Community in America

• Muslims (literally “one who submits” [to God]) are followers of Islam

• Muslims believe in One God (Arabic name is Allah), & their prophet is

Muhammad

• Muslims believe in all prophets of Judaism & Christianity (Abrahamic tradition)

• The Qur’an (divine book) describes women & men as “partners” (9:72) and

“garments for one another” (2:187), and identifies mutual love & mercy as the

foundations of marriage with the goal of tranquility (30:21).

Islam in America

What are unique ways that domestic violence presents for

survivors in faith communities?

• Controlling or interfering with survivor’s religious practices or access to

knowledge/education

• Misusing religious values like patience and forgiveness to pressure a survivor

to stay in the relationship

• Manipulation using religious texts out of contexts

• Misusing marriage or divorce laws as a control tactic (Jewish get; Catholics

“don’t divorce”; Muslim talaaq)

Ways DV presents for survivors in faith communities

What are some common & unique barriers

that prevent DV survivors

of faith from seeking services?

• Concern that they won’t be understood or welcome

• Reconciling that partner who is “religious” is also abusive

• Misuse/misunderstanding of religious texts

• Stigma of seeking services

• Faith leaders’ lack of awareness of value of services

• Lack of collaborative relationships between faith leaders & service providers

• Lack of awareness of resources

• Lack of faith-sensitive services

Barriers Preventing Survivors of Faith

from Seeking Services

• Work within survivor’s worldview rather than imposing external values

• Use language & values that are familiar to survivor

• Allow survivor to determine goals

• Identify allies among faith & community leaders

• Recognize that partnering with faith leaders adds credibility and increases

access

Recommendations for Supporting

Survivors of Faith

Acknowledge that abusive behavior is unacceptable to God.

Repentance is necessary to change behavior.

Hope, help, and healing is possible.

Faith leader’s role is to speak about healthy/ unhealthy relationships.

Recommendations for Working with People Who Engage in

Abusive Behaviors

Have you ever worked with a faith leader to

support a DV survivor?

• Know which faiths are represented in your community as a way to learn of

existing services and identify allies

• Identify a local champion to make introduction in a specific faith community

• Visit the faith leader & share your experiences with survivors of faith

• Offer a class or workshop on healthy relationships

• Invite faith leaders to your office to meet staff & learn about your services

• Arrange a screening of a DV faith-specific video having clergy on hand to

answer religious questions

Outreach to Faith Leaders

• How can we work together to improve family relationships?

• How can we work together to raise awareness about unhealthy or abusive

relationships?

• What skills does your community need to have stronger families?

• What are the best options for achieving safety for any abused member of

your community?

• What help do you need from us?

• What can we expect from you?

Suggested Questions

Presenter Contact Information

Deborah Rosenbloom: drosenbloom@jwi.org

Sharon A. O’Brien: obriensa@cua.edu

Salma Abugideiri: salma@peacefulfamilies.org

Q & A