Places of Sanctuary

A pilot initiative to better support anyone experiencing domestic abuse was launched a year ago in the Aberystwyth LMA. Lynn Rees is hoping it can now be extended across the Diocese.

Seven volunteers have completed training in partnership with West Wales Domestic Abuse Service. It included advice on how to identify signs of domestic abuse and to equip them with the knowledge and skills necessary to provide advice and support, providing greater awareness of the work and capabilities of both the Church and domestic abuse services, and how to support each other better.

As well as exploring signs of domestic abuse and coercive and controlling behaviour, the training considered biblical implications of domestic abuse and the findings of research conducted amongst church communities. Although domestic abuse affects one in four women and one in six men, research undertaken in 2018 by the University of Coventry and the Safeguarding organisation Thirty-One Eight with 230 churches identified that whilst domestic abuse was seen as a problem in the wider community (77.3%) only 37.6 % of respondents thought it was a problem in their church. In fact, 57.4% of the women and 16.7% of the men surveyed in church congregations had experienced domestic abuse.

This research also identifies that the Church can play an important role in supporting survivors of domestic abuse. However only two in seven respondents thought their church was equipped to deal with domestic abuse and two thirds thought the church can do more, identifying that “There is an appetite for the church to become a place where those subject to abuse can find support.” As part of the pilot Domestic Abuse staff will be holding drop-in sessions at St Michael’s and St Anne’s churches.

Now that the pilot has ended, a full evaluation will be undertaken and it is hoped that Sanctuary will be extended to other churches across the Diocese. Support and advice is available to anyone living in Ceredigion experiencing domestic abuse from West Wales Domestic Abuse Service on 01970 625585 or anyone living elsewhere in Wales from Live Fear Free on 0808 80 10 800.