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Researcher Response
n my research on changing violent religious men, I found that faith and hope are ingredients in the possibility of change. Hope is present in the narratives of all the constituents interviewed who are involved in the complex web of interrelationships amongst those attempting to change the abusive behaviour of religious men. Small rays of hope are needed by all those involved in responding to the bleak circumstances created by domestic violence. The process of hope is possible even in the darkest of circumstances.
While the problem of domestic violence is no longer hidden, the promise of change, empowered by religious hope, is just peering through.
The words of Paul clearly offer hope to believers: May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit (Romans 15:13).
The focus of hope does differ, however, based on one’s perspective.
Those employed within the criminal justice system, including judges and parole and probation officers who interact with both victims and perpetrators of abuse, and who daily witness or read about the horrific consequences of this abuse, have hope that all of the various components of the justice response to abuse come together to start abusers on the road toward change and to adequately respond to the needs of victims. They report that on many dark days hope is elusive but it can be rekindled by small successes.
Therapeutic staff working in batterers’ treatment/intervention programs similarly hope that their efforts and skills will lead to changed thinking and behaviour on the part of perpetrators of abuse. Therapists report that they do indeed witness small changes and those changes are sufficient to nurture their hope and keep them in their line of work.
Women who are victims of abuse hope that the violence will end and that they and their children can live peaceful family lives; often they hope for reconciliation with their partner as well. They therefore place a great deal of their trust and hope in the ability of batterer intervention programs to effect change in their partners. Additionally, as women often seek help and support from both sacred and secular communities, appropriate support from these communities can help foster the hope women require to assist them on their healing journey.
Faith communities hope that the support and services they offer can assist families who have been devastated by family violence. Whether offering protection and support to victims or helping the abuser take accountability for his actions, church communities hope that “faith can make a difference” in the restoration of the lives of both victims and perpetrators of abuse.
From the perspective of men enrolled in a batterers’ intervention program, hope has definite dimensions, often related to their children. They hope that they can keep on “doing the work” needed to change, that they can become the husbands and fathers they want to be, that they can learn to sustain peaceful family relationships, and that their children will not follow in their footsteps.
Recently, at an April 2006 conference in Boston, Massachusetts on Domestic Violence in the Church, I found that hope was evident amongst the wide variety of attendees – particularly due to the fact that finally the problem of domestic violence is being recognized and addressed by people of faith. Victimized women found hope because here was a place where not only were they believed but also where they were supported and affirmed as they told their stories and sought healing. Therapists found hope in the fact that this was a gathering of like-minded individuals who are approaching the problem and assisting their religious clients with a faith-based perspective. Clergy members found hope in learning about strategies for assisting families of faith impacted by violence and the availability of both sacred and secular sources of assistance. Others found hope in the stories of victims and abusers who have survived, healed, taken responsibility and changed, and this hope was celebrated in worship.
In a nutshell, when various agencies—including religious ones—work together in a mutually supportive community environment, the possibility of change is enhanced.
Barbara Fisher-Townsend, Ph.D. The RAVE Project
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