Uploaded August 2024 | Updated September 2026, 1 week ago
Abusers Often Take Many Verses out of Context: Spiritual Abuse as Part of the Experience of Domestic Abuse - Lisa Oakley
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Disclaimer: This session was delivered for the 2023 ICSA Conference. The speaker of this session does not speak on behalf of ICSA as an organization.
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Abstract: Spiritual abuse is often an integral part of other experiences of harm and abuse for those in faith communities and related contexts. This paper will present some of the findings of a recent study conducted in the UK in partnership between a Christian domestic violence charity and a charity for divorced or separated clergy spouses/partners. The study focused on developing understanding and effective support for victims of domestic abuse in the Christian faith community. 199 respondents completed an online survey, of whom 69% had experienced domestic violence. Among these respondents, 60% had concurrently experienced spiritual abuse, highlighting the inter-relationship between these forms of harm. The paper will explore experiences of spiritual abuse within the context of domestic violence, including a discussion of key passages, teachings, and values identified as contributors to experiences of domestic abuse, as well as those that were seen as potentially helpful for those who have experienced this form of abuse. Importantly, it will draw on survivor suggestions for prevention, intervention, and response.
Abusers Often Take Many Verses out of Context: Spiritual Abuse as Part of the Experience of Domestic Abuse - Lisa Oakley
-
Disclaimer: This session was delivered for the 2023 ICSA Conference. The speaker of this session does not speak on behalf of ICSA as an organization.
-
Abstract: Spiritual abuse is often an integral part of other experiences of harm and abuse for those in faith communities and related contexts. This paper will present some of the findings of a recent study conducted in the UK in partnership between a Christian domestic violence charity and a charity for divorced or separated clergy spouses/partners. The study focused on developing understanding and effective support for victims of domestic abuse in the Christian faith community. 199 respondents completed an online survey, of whom 69% had experienced domestic violence. Among these respondents, 60% had concurrently experienced spiritual abuse, highlighting the inter-relationship between these forms of harm. The paper will explore experiences of spiritual abuse within the context of domestic violence, including a discussion of key passages, teachings, and values identified as contributors to experiences of domestic abuse, as well as those that were seen as potentially helpful for those who have experienced this form of abuse. Importantly, it will draw on survivor suggestions for prevention, intervention, and response.
