Let’s build communities where everyone can flourish

1 in 4 women experience violence from an Intimate partner in Australia. This includes women of faith. It doesn’t have to be that way.

Every one of us can play a part in changing our culture and building communities where everyone can flourish.

 From 23 November to 10 December, as part of the global 16DaysOfActivism campaign, the Anglican Church of Australia will share practical ways we can all help prevent and respond to violence in our homes, churches, and communities. The 16 days campaign is a global annual event, with organisations, including churches, around the world working in their own way to prevent gender based violence.

To build a safer future, we can be people who are wise, aware, and compassionate when it comes to the issue of domestic and family violence.

People who notice when something is wrong, who, when safe to do so, reach out rather than stand passively by, who speak up rather than stay silent.

Together, we can create communities where everyone is safe, valued, and able to flourish.

#16DaysOfActivism

#16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia

Be Wise to Domestic and Family Violence

Building communities where everyone can flourish begins with wisdom — the willingness to learn, listen, and understand.

To be wise is to seek truth: to be informed about the nature and prevalence of domestic and family violence, to understand its deep drivers, and to recognise the patterns of coercive control that enable it to continue.

Scripture reminds us:

“An intelligent mind acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
— Proverbs 18:15 (NRSV)

Wisdom leads to awareness, and awareness leads to change. As followers of Christ, we are called to be wise, alert, and courageous — people who notice, care, and act safely to prevent harm.

Domestic Violence impacts people of faith too. Explore the findings of the National Anglican Family Violence Project.👉 https://www.tencommitments.org.au/evidence-base

Together, we can build communities where everyone is safe, valued, and able to flourish.

#16DaysOfActivism

#16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia

Be wise to domestic and family violence

Building communities where everyone can flourish begins with wisdom — the willingness to learn, listen, and understand.

To be wise is to seek truth: to be informed about the nature and prevalence of domestic and family violence, to understand its deep drivers, and to recognise the patterns of coercive control that enable it to continue.

Scripture reminds us:

“An intelligent mind acquires knowledge, and the ear of the wise seeks knowledge.”
— Proverbs 18:15 (NRSV)

Wisdom leads to awareness, and awareness leads to change. As followers of Christ, we are called to be wise, alert, and courageous — people who notice, care, and act safely to prevent harm.

Domestic Violence impacts people of faith too. Explore the findings of the National Anglican Family Violence Project.👉 https://www.tencommitments.org.au/evidence-base

Together, we can build communities where everyone is safe, valued, and able to flourish.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia

In every community, including in our churches, there will be people who are experiencing violence, and others who choose to use it. Alongside them are those of us who are witnesses to each others lives. We are bystanders to one another’s lives and the life of our church communities. We see, we hear, we notice. And when something doesn’t seem right, we have the opportunity to choose a response that brings care and safety.

Being a community that cares is about each of us being alert to signs that something may be wrong and, when it’s safe to do so, taking action that supports, protects and prevents harm.

If you would like to learn more about safe ways you can respond when you  notice something isn’t right, check out this new course : Communities That Care: Effective Bystanding Practices For Churches  

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be alert to the signs of abuse

Someone seems anxious, depressed, avoids eye contact or has lost confidence,

Someone seems regularly isolated or demeaned,

Patterns of behaviour that make you feel uneasy,

Jokes or language that degrade or demean women or dismiss abuse,

Comments that make gender inequality seem normal.

These may be signs of domestic and family violence and the social drivers that support it.

In Luke 13:10-17 we read about Jesus seeing a woman who needed help. When all around ignored her, Jesus saw her and helped her. Do you notice people in your faith community who may be struggling? Ask “Are you OK?”   and head to our “Need support” page to find local and faith-based avenues of support for people in need

Be alert to the signs of abuse

Someone seems anxious, depressed, avoids eye contact or has lost confidence,

Someone seems regularly isolated or demeaned,

Patterns of behaviour that make you feel uneasy,

Jokes or language that degrade or demean women or dismiss abuse,

Comments that make gender inequality seem normal.

These may be signs of domestic and family violence and the social drivers that support it.

In Luke 13:10-17 we read about Jesus seeing a woman who needed help. When all around ignored her, Jesus saw her and helped her. Do you notice people in your faith community who may be struggling? Ask “Are you OK?”   and head to our “Need support” page to find local and faith-based avenues of support for people in need

In every community, including in our churches, there will be people who are experiencing violence, and others who choose to use it. Alongside them are those of us who are witnesses to each other’s lives. We are bystanders to one another’s lives and the life of our church communities. We see, we hear, we notice. And when something doesn’t seem right, we can choose a response that brings care and safety.

Being a community that cares is about each of us being alert to signs that something may be wrong and, when it’s safe to do so, taking action that supports, protects and prevents harm.

If you would like to learn more about safe ways you can respond when you  notice something isn’t right, check out this new course : Communities That Care: Effective Bystanding Practices For Churches  

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be courageous in acting to prevent harm

If you think someone is impacted by gender-based violence, it takes courage to say or do something, but one person’s actions can be the moment that someone’s life turns around for the better. 

One of the best-known stories in the bible is the story that Jesus told about the good Samaritan. In his story, others pass by someone who needs help, but a Samaritan person bucks the trend and stops and offers help. It’s easy to ‘go with the crowd’ and ignore the problem of DFV. It’s easy not to notice, not to know about it nor what to do about it. But Jesus taught that knowing, noticing and doing something is what it means to ‘love thy neighbour’ and that this compassion was equally as important as loving God. Read the story in Luke 10:25-37

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be courageous in acting to prevent harm

If you think someone is impacted by gender-based violence, it takes courage to say or do something, but one person’s actions can be the moment that someone’s life turns around for the better. 

One of the best-known stories in the bible is the story that Jesus told about the good Samaritan. In his story, others pass by someone who needs help, but a Samaritan person bucks the trend and stops and offers help. It’s easy to ‘go with the crowd’ and ignore the problem of DFV. It’s easy not to notice, not to know about it nor what to do about it. But Jesus taught that knowing, noticing and doing something is what it means to ‘love thy neighbour’ and that this compassion was equally as important as loving God. Read the story in Luke 10:25-37

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be the one who acts

Groups of people often conform to group-think, action, or inaction. But when one person dares to step out, the pattern can be broken — and a new way forward begins. Will you be that one person?

In John 8:1-11, we read how Jesus was willing to be the one who acted to save a woman in distress.  He is a role model of standing up to the mob and challenging a culture of violence against women.

For too long, domestic violence has been a ‘silent epidemic’, creating stigma and shame for victims. We have emboldened perpetrators with our silence. The problem is complex and there are no simple answers, but silence and ignorance can’t be the right way.

Check out our course: Communities That Care to help understand the nature of violence and some of the safe ways you can intervene to change the pattern of gendered violence in our nation.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be the one who acts

Groups of people often conform to group-think, action, or inaction. But when one person dares to step out, the pattern can be broken — and a new way forward begins. Will you be that one person?

In John 8:1-11, we read how Jesus was willing to be the one who acted to save a woman in distress.  He is a role model of standing up to the mob and challenging a culture of violence against women.

For too long, domestic violence has been a ‘silent epidemic’, creating stigma and shame for victims. We have emboldened perpetrators with our silence. The problem is complex and there are no simple answers, but silence and ignorance can’t be the right way.

Check out our course: Communities That Care to help understand the nature of violence and some of the safe ways you can intervene to change the pattern of gendered violence in our nation.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be the one who cares for those in harm’s way

In the Gospel of John 4, verses 1-42, we read of Jesus’ encounter with a woman at a well outside a town. It’s one of many examples where Jesus pushes back against the patriarchal culture of His time — a culture that silenced, shamed, and excluded women. His way is one of respect, restoration, and empowerment. If we are to end the culture of domestic and family violence in our own society, we must do the same.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be the one who cares for those in harm’s way

In the Gospel of John 4, verses 1-42, we read of Jesus’ encounter with a woman at a well outside a town. It’s one of many examples where Jesus pushes back against the patriarchal culture of His time — a culture that silenced, shamed, and excluded women. His way is one of respect, restoration, and empowerment. If we are to end the culture of domestic and family violence in our own society, we must do the same.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Be the change that transforms church culture

Jesus often challenged groups about their behaviour and attitudes — and called them to a new way of living. He called out the Pharisees about hypocrisy, the disciples about their pride, the crowds about judgment. He is the greatest example of the kind person we all need to be. Will you be the change agent that starts to turn the tide so that we can build communities where everyone flourishes?

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

Preventing domestic and family violence means challenging sexism, bias, and unhealthy norms. These things don’t always lead  to violence but they are disrespectful and disrespect always features in gender-based violence. Are any of our ways of being the church, our structures and processes, inherently gendered, patriarchal and violent,  rooted in old cultural and patriarchal models which we know are unhealthy? Sexism, bias and unhealthy norms can be ingrained in institutions, including our churches.  In order to build communities where everyone flourishes, we need to be willing to call out these social drivers of violence.

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare

In every community, including in our churches, there will be people who are experiencing violence, and others who choose to use it. Alongside them are those of us who are witnesses to each other’s lives. We are bystanders to one another’s lives and the life of our church communities. We see, we hear, we notice. And when something doesn’t seem right, we can choose a response that brings care and safety.

Being a community that cares is about each of us being alert to signs that something may be wrong and, when it’s safe to do so, taking action that supports, protects and prevents harm.

If you would like to learn more about safe ways you can respond when you  notice something isn’t right, check out this new course : Communities That Care: Effective Bystanding Practices For Churches  

#16DaysOfActivism #16Days #TenCommitments #AnglicanChurchAustralia#CommunitiesThatCare