As church leaders, we are called to make changes to improve this situation in the Church and the community. The adoption of the Ten Commitments by the Diocese of Adelaide will assist our Anglican Church communities to be places where respect for all is taught and lived; where it is clear that abuse of any kind including control and coercion has no place; and where people who have suffered intimate partner violence can find help and support.

The Ten Commitments provide a foundation to guide work in making the church a place where women, men and children are safe; where violence is prevented, where the wounded are healed and justice prevails, so that God’s grace can flow into the lives of all, insofar as we can achieve such outcomes.

The Commitments focus on prevention in addition to training ministers and improving care for those who have experienced abuse. In the long term, preventing abuse is better than only reacting once abuse has happened and people are suffering.

The Ten Commitments were produced from the research as a guideline for best practice to support victim-survivors of domestic and family violence in Anglican communities. The Commitments are drawn from research into best practice models and discussion, having had input from Dioceses, clergy, lay people and victim-survivors. In SA, the Domestic and Family Violence Working Group of the Anglican Province of South Australia has led this work.