From spiritual abuse to being a key tenant of survivors’ healing journey, faith plays a critical role in many survivors’ experiences with violence. Faith leaders such as pastors or temple leaders are frequently the first ones that survivors disclose their experience to. Yet our work with several AAPI faith communities has shown that faith leaders are rarely equipped to respond to DV/SA within the congregation. Therefore it’s essential that we engage faith leaders to be allies in the response to violence.
This webinar gathered four of API-GBV’s partners from a multi-year faith-based advocacy project that reached several Chinese/Taiwanese Christian churches and seminaries, Sikh gurdwaras, and Korean Christian congregations in California. The panel shared what their experience has been to navigate potential resistance from faith leaders in their communities, build a mutual relationship with them, co-develop trainings and curriculums, and provide support in their responses to violence. Participants left with strategies and considerations for working with faith communities against violence.
