(COLUMBUS) — At the recent Break the Silence Interfaith Clergy Forum, the Columbus Coalition Against Family Violence unveiled its Faith Plan before an audience of nearly 130 at Temple Israel. The Coalition will help faith groups create family violence policies, raise awareness of the issue in congregations and offer resources and safe support for victims, as outlined in the plan. Family violence awareness materials and presentations are available to congregations at no charge.

“With our Faith Plan, the Coalition reinforces its commitment to work with the faith community to better address family violence and give faith leaders the skills needed to respond to and help victims. Clergy need to be prepared when victims come forward,” said Coalition President Karen S. Days.

A faith leader is often one of the first people victims confide in, yet studies show that many clergy members feel ill equipped to help victims. The Coalition’s Interfaith Clergy Forum taught faith leaders how to develop or expand a family violence ministry in their congregations.

“We who are in positions of authority must raise our voices and declare with certainty that the buck stops here. We have a responsibility not to sweep the issue of family violence under the rug, but to help victims shatter the darkness the envelopes their lives. Women must be honored and respected, never bruised,” said Rev. Dr. Charles E. Booth, Senior Pastor at Mount Olivet Baptist Church, the Forum’s keynote speaker.

Family violence remains a problem in our community. In 2003, Columbus Police went on nearly 24,000 domestic violence runs and made nearly 5,900 arrests for domestic violence. There were more than 100,000 children reported as abused or neglected in Ohio in 2001; and nationally, one in five female high school students reports being abused by a dating partner.

Break the Silence Interfaith Clergy Forum

“Family violence destroys lives and is passed from one generation to the next. We need to change the way we as a community think about and respond to abuse and we need to work together as an entire community to stop it,” said Coalition Founder and Board Chair Abigail S. Wexner. “The crime of domestic violence is a community problem because the violence experienced in the home spills over to our schools, streets, and workplaces. But I believe this is a problem we can change.”

Coalition Board Member and Faith Community Task Force Chair Bishop James A. Griffin of the Catholic Diocese of Columbus led planning for the Forum. “As we gather as leaders of communities of faith, we ask (for) guidance in our actions and decisions. We seek strength in order to break the silence in our respective communities about the presence of domestic violence,” he said in his invocation.

For more information about the Faith Plan or to request a presentation to your congregation, contact the Coalition at 614-722-6328 or by email at lori@thecolumbuscoalition.org.

The Coalition focuses its work on five touch points - where victims and societal institutions intersect - with task forces working to create systemic change. These task forces are: Business Community/Public Education, Faith Community, Health Care, Legal System and Victim Services.