Safe In Faith has released a signposting toolkit that provides resources to clergy, aiming to help Catholic parishes offer assistance to those fleeing domestic violence and abuse.
Safe in Faith is a project of Caritas Westminster aimed at supporting victims of domestic abuse in a faith setting. The project has now launched a signposting toolkit which helps faith leaders and clergy identify potential signs of domestic abuse and provides them with the necessary tools to support victims in their parishes.
The booklet offers guidance on how to provide a safe, trauma-informed response to anyone seeking help or advice from the Church. It also provides a wealth of signposting resources to other agencies which takes into consideration people’s faith and cultural needs.
Nikki Dhillon Keane, the head of the service, said: “We often hear the proverb “it takes a village to raise a child.” Similarly, I think it takes a whole community of individuals to support people who are subjected to domestic abuse. That is why the Church can play an important role in ensuring that victims can access safety and that their faith never hinders them from seeking help.”
She added: “Normally, people who need help reach out to those they regard as their “trusted other”. For many people in our society, “the trusted other” is a priest or someone from their local church. We hope that the toolkit can equip clergy and parish workers to confidently support victims fleeing abusive domestic situations.”
Safe in Faith noted that the document is free to download and is intended to remain as an “evolving document”. This means that the service will continuously add and update information, and listen to user feedback.
The service also urges parishes to download the poster for the service and display it in their respective churches. Nikki noted: “In each parish, there may be someone who will find this information tremendously useful.”
The toolkit, poster and more information about Safe in Faith can be found on their website: caritaswestminster.org.uk/safe-in-faith
