October is Domestic Abuse Awareness Month and a local ministry is helping churches be better equipped to help women and families in need.
"Called to Peace Ministries is a Christian ministry that provides advocacy for women that are experiencing domestic abuse, as well as church partnerships that want to support these women," says Rose Catellier, a domestic abuse victim advocate and church partner liaison with Called to Peace. "The church should be the safest place on earth for women that are experiencing abuse."
There is a training event coming up in Winnipeg for church leaders who want to learn more about what it means to help women in domestic abuse situations.
"It's called 'Protect the Flock.' It's a one-day training that we do. It'll be on October 19 at 9:00 a.m. It will be held at Emmanuel Fellowship Church. This will be a tremendous amount of equipping in only half a day's time investment. You'll learn all about abuse dynamics, the abusive mindset, how to respond, and how to support families well that are going through this."
Barriers Women Face
Leaving an abusive situation in any case can be difficult for women. Catellier explains some of the possible barriers, especially for Christian women.
"There tend to be some scriptures that possibly get used by their abusers as a sledgehammer. When they're taken out of context, like, a lot of abuse happens because the woman can be easily controlled mentally more than physically. It's like a mental prison. She may believe that God will be against her if she tries to get her and her children to safety."
Catellier works with women who have left violent and unsafe home situations, and has experience herself.
"There's lots of reasons why a woman would choose not to leave an abusive marriage. Some of it has to do with the safety of the children. What I say to women all the time is, 'There is no judgment if you choose to stay well or leave well. Either way you're going to need a tremendous amount of support.'"
How the Church can Help
Catellier shares that one in three women in the church experience domestic abuse of any kind.
"One in three is staggering and that's only based on police reports. We minister primarily to Christian women. We did a 200 person survey where we asked the survivors, 'You've gone to your church for help. How many would do this again?' Only four per cent of them said that they would. Additionally, 71 per cent of them said their churches did more harm than good."
Catellier believes that the harm isn't from a place of malice, but rather people simply not knowing better. Which is why Called to Peace offers these events to inform and equip church leaders to help women better.
People interested in attending the 'Protect the Flock' event can register here.