Faithful & Effective Response to Domestic Violence / Home

In Embracing Travail, Cynthia Crysdale explores the mystery of redemption through the central Christian symbol of the cross. Traditionally, the cross has been understood by male theologians as redeeming humankind from sin as arrogant ambition. Yet the difficulties of understanding sin primarily in this way, especially for women and those on the "underside" of history, has been recognized for several decades. Rather, argues Crysdale, by virtue of life experience, people - women as well as men - enter the drama of the cross and resurrection at different points: some through repentance, seeking forgiveness, and others through a courageous claiming of self-identity, seeking healing. In an approach that is both anecdotal and analytical, personal and theological, Crysdale provides a renewed understanding of Christian redemption for preachers and Christian educators as well as the general public.

With many pastors facing burnout and congregations suffering from internal divisions, there is a need for Christian resources that present concrete problem-solving techniques for handling conflict in the church. This book offers practical skills and strategies that the authors have learned through years of studying nonviolent communication (NVC) as described in Marshall Rosenberg's book, Nonviolent Communication: A Language of Life, and as developed by numerous NVC trainers all over the world. Using real-world case studies and examples, Hunsinger and Latini helpfully guide pastors and lay leaders through effective and compassionate ways to deal with discord. These strategies include differentiating observations from evaluations, experiencing and expressing feelings, identifying and connecting with needs, and making requests rather than demands. By learning the basic skills of compassionate communication, church leaders can be empowered to transform, rather than merely manage, church conflict

While forgiveness has historically been regarded as a religious concern, it has also become a popular topic in contemporary psychology. Unfortunately, there has been little effort to combine a Christian understanding of forgiveness with psychology. The Faces of Forgiveness, winner of the Narramore Award from the Christian Association for Psychological Studies, steps in to fill this void. The authors fuse Christian forgiveness and psychology with the unifying motif of the face; thereby building on the considerable psychological research linking emotions related to forgiveness with the human face. At a deeper level, the face can serve as a metaphor for integrating forgiveness, wholeness, and salvation. The authors argue that forgiveness should take a central role in our understanding of salvation because it is warranted by the Bible and engages our postmodern context. Pastors, psychologists, family counselors, and students of psychology and theology will find The Faces of Forgiveness a helpful resource.

In the past forty years, the idea of home, which is central to how the law conceives of crime, punishment, and privacy, has changed radically. Legal scholar Jeannie Suk shows how the legitimate goal of legal feminists to protect women from domestic abuse has led to a new and unexpected set of legal practices. Suk examines case studies of major legal developments in contemporary American law pertaining to domestic violence, self-defense, privacy, sexual autonomy, and property in order to illuminate the changing relation between home and the law. She argues that the growing legal vision that has led to the breakdown of traditional boundaries between public and private space is resulting in a substantial reduction of autonomy and privacy for both women and men.

Domestic violence is encountered by disabled women more frequently than non-disabled women, yet disabled women are less likely to receive appropriate services, and there has been little research on their experiences and how this problem can be addressed. This book, drawing on the first UK national study of disabled women who have suffered domestic violence, highlights the experiences of these women, the nature of the violence perpetrated against them, and the seriousness and range of its impacts. The book draws attention to the gaps in services for disabled women and discusses how professional responses should be developed and improved, pointing to current examples of good practice. It includes first-hand accounts from disabled women and includes contributions from leading disabled women activists. This book will be important reading for students, practitioners, policymakers and academics in the fields of disability and domestic violence.

Domestic abuse is a heartbreaking and very prevalent issueand, sadly, it is no stranger to Christian marriages. Though they are filled with both oppressors and oppressed, many churches have little to say on this issue. If you are being oppressed, this can leave you feeling isolated and alone . . . but you're not alone.Scripture has much to say about your experience, your safety, and God's heart for youhe does not blame you for your suffering and does not tolerate oppression. In fact, he wants to rescue you.Experienced family counselor Darby Strickland helps you to cut through confusion, speak out and find support, and then determine your next steps.God knows the suffering and wounds of oppression, and he delights in redeeming and rescuingespecially his heartbroken children.

One in four women. One in seven men.Written especially for Christian mental health professionals and students, counselors, therapists, psychologists, and pastors, author Christy Sim shows why issues related to violence and abuse continue to plague our society and how to address them.

Child protection and family workers can complete training without learning about how to work with domestic abuse perpetrators - but intervening at an early stage can make a real difference to increasing family safety. This concise book equips practitioners with the knowledge and techniques they need to make the most of limited client contact with perpetrators. It outlines how to briefly assess perpetrators, how to prepare them for a perpetrator programme, and describes a range of interventions that can be used to reduce the risk they represent in the meantime. Drawing on approaches from motivational work, anger management, CBT and feminist models, but written in practical and easy to follow language, the book provides guidance for carrying out interviews and assessing risk, how to use safety plans, signals and time outs, understanding the impact of abuse on victims, how to analyse incidents of abuse and how to make an effective referral. This reliable guide is a useful reference for any child protection worker wanting to make the most of the valuable opportunity they have to engage with domestic violence perpetrators.