Domestic Abuse/ Family Violence
That this Synod,

1. deplores the horrific levels of family violence in the Tasmanian Community,
2. grieves with those who have suffered the pain and trauma of any form of domestic abuse,
3. recognises that such abuse occurs within the Christian community and the congregations of the Diocese of Tasmania,
4. maintains that family violence is absolutely unacceptable in any circumstance, and
5. commits the Diocese of Tasmania to work to changing community values from those which allow this abuse to occur to those which foster respectful and safe relationships.

Further this Synod urges the Bishop to

1. further use the Office of the Bishop to raise awareness of family violence and all forms of domestic abuse,
2. ensure that copies of “Responding to domestic abuse: Guidelines for those with pastoral responsibilities”, (Church of England, 2006*) and other suitable materials are made available to Anglican organisations and parishes (clergy, pastoral workers and members of Parish Council) within the Diocese of Tasmania to facilitate a culture of awareness in organisations, parishes and parish leadership, and seek responses from Anglican organisations and parishes on this material so that within 12 months a resource for the Tasmanian Church can be prepared thereby a) ensuring that clergy and pastoral workers are adequately equipped and resourced to respond to family violence and all forms of domestic abuse, b) implementing protocols and standards for pastoral, parochial and organisational responses to family violence and all forms of domestic abuse.

The Very Revd Richard Humphrey’s speech for the first part of the Motion & The Venerable Helen Phillips sermon to conclude the motion can be found here: RCH Speech to the First part of the motion_Synod 2015

Responding to domestic abuse: Guidelines for those with pastoral responsibilities (Church of England, 2006) can be found here: https://www.churchofengland.org/media/1163604/domesticabuse.pdf

A recent speech by the Governor of Tasmania entitled Towards Ethical Relationships: addressing sexual and family violence is valuable in thinking through these issues and can be viewed here: http://www.govhouse.tas.gov.au/sites/default/files/speeches/webber_lecture_-_20_may_15.pdf

Media report on the Synod’s work on Domestic / Family Violence is here.