Perpetrators
Keeping victims safe in churches means holding perpetrators accountable. It also means not ignoring their abuse, covering it up or enabling it to continue.
To stop domestic violence, we need to hold perpetrators accountable for their behaviour. Remember, perpetrators are always fully responsible for their decision to abuse. The best support you can provide for someone who uses violence is to hold them accountable for their choices and actions. Some will accept such pastoral support while others will reject it.
Although we recognise there are exceptions, and that men can also experience domestic and family violence, our conviction is that broadly domestic violence is a gendered issue, overwhelmingly committed by men.
Common Grace has been asked why this resource sometimes refers to men as perpetrators or “men who use violence” and women as victims. Here is our answer.