Report released on Understanding domestic violence and religion event

A Roundtable Event titled Understanding domestic violence and religion was held on 28 October 2022 to explore the question of how faith-based organisations could be part of the solution to domestic violence in Australia. The Victorian Royal Commission into Family Violence (State of Victoria 2016) recommended that faith leaders and communities establish processes for examining responses and recovery to domestic violence. Many Faith Based Organisations have embarked on this recommendation to raise awareness in congregations, schools, and other institutions of the church, as well as training, identifying and developing resources, and searching for best practice to support and respond to both victims-survivors and perpetrators of domestic violence.

The Roundtable Event was created to bring interested stakeholders together to talk; share ideas about domestic violence policies, services, and other relevant resources; and enable the possibilities of further work with faith communities. Eighty-one people attended. The key messages and recommendations elicited from the research presentations, panel discussions and roundtable are detailed in the report.