Attitudes and beliefs about family and domestic violence in Australian faith-based communities: A qualitative study

Abstract

Family and domestic violence (FDV) is a major public health and social issue that is associated with a range of physical, mental and behavioural health outcomes. Religion and faith are powerful and influential in shaping the lives of many individuals and societies, in addition to the social practices, norms and structures that are significant in understanding and responding to FDV. This qualitative study aims to deepen understanding of the influence of religious beliefs and values on attitudes and beliefs of FDV among culturally diverse faith communities in Australia. Interviews and focus groups were conducted with 64 participants from a diverse range of cultural and religious backgrounds which included faith leaders, community members and FDV sector workers. Six main themes were identified describing attitudes, beliefs and knowledge about FDV: 1) Faith and religion do not condone violence; 2) Awareness of FDV is increasing, yet remains often poorly understood; 3) FDV is still a taboo topic; 4) Denial and defensiveness about FDV persist; 5) Patience, endurance and forgiveness is often prioritised over safety; 6) Gender roles and norms founded on religious beliefs and interpretations underpin many FDV understandings and responses. These findings demonstrate the tensions between expressions of faith and attitudes to women and FDV. Further exploration of these issues within specific faith communities, as well as how to support and engage with these communities in increasing understandings of FDV and developing effective responses, is needed in the Australian context.

A ‘dark side’ of religion?' - Associations between religious involvement, identity and domestic violence determinants

“…The findings of this study are consistent with evidence suggesting that denial of domestic violence remains high in Australian (Truong et al, 2020) and (Aune & Barnes, 2018;le Roux et al, 2016) faith communities in other Western countries despite the fact that awareness is increasing in many faith contexts. Taken together with similar findings (Aune & Barnes, 2018), our research indicates that improvements in awareness are more likely operating at a broader national level and not at the localised level within faith communities.…”

“…Taken together with similar findings (Aune & Barnes, 2018), our research indicates that improvements in awareness are more likely operating at a broader national level and not at the localised level within faith communities. Findings related to beliefs that domestic violence is not an issue in one's own faith community are at odds with findings of the Australian State of Victoria's Royal Commission into family violence, as well as both national and international evidence (IMA World Health & Sojourners, 2018;Truong et al, 2020;Vaughan et al, 2020). Extant evidence shows that while many religious and faith communities condemn domestic violence, a lack of awareness and acknowledgement of domestic violence persists with faith communities and leaders often lacking appropriate support for victims and endorsing patriarchal beliefs about family and gender roles that exacerbate domestic violence and limit help seeking.…”

“…However, population representative empirical studies in this area remain scant, even more so outside of the United States and using contemporary population representative data. Denial and lack of acknowledgement of domestic violence by faith community members and leaders has also been identified as a major issue across affiliations, although awareness is slowly increasing in Australia (Truong et al, 2020) and other high income western countries (Aune & Barnes, 2018;le Roux et al, 2016). Trust in religious leaders' responses to domestic violence, both within and outside of faith communities, is also mixed.…”

“…These include defensiveness, victim blaming and an overemphasis on reconciliation and forgiveness at the expense of personal safety (IMA World Health & Sojourners, 2018;Truong et al, 2020;Vaughan et al, 2020). Explanations for such denial identified within qualitative studies, largely within evangelical and protestant churches, include: a focus on domestic violence as individual sin and a rare aberration of faith rather than a systemic issue with structural and cultural drivers; viewing domestic violence and family relationships as private and not public issues; a fear of stigmatisation of religion by secular society; and a lack of knowledge of domestic violence beyond direct physical abuse (IMA World Health & Sojourners, 2018;Truong et al, 2020;Vaughan et al, 2020). High quality prevalence data on domestic violence within faith communities remains a major research gap internationally (Priest, 2018;Vaughan et al, 2020).…”

A “Dark Side” of religion? Associations between religious involvement, identity and domestic violence determinants in Australia

“…Taken together with similar findings (Aune & Barnes, 2018), our research indicates that improvements in awareness are more likely operating at a broader national level and not at the localised level within faith communities. Findings related to beliefs that domestic violence is not an issue in one's own faith community are at odds with findings of the Australian State of Victoria's Royal Commission into Family Violence (Victoria, Royal Commission into Family Violence, 2016), as well as both national and international evidence (IMA World Health and Sojourners, 2018;Truong et al, 2020;Vaughan et al, 2020). Extant evidence shows that while many religious and faith communities condemn domestic violence, a lack of awareness and acknowledgement of domestic violence persists within faith communities and leaders often lacking appropriate support for victims and endorsing patriarchal beliefs about family and gender roles that exacerbate domestic violence and limit help seeking.…”