The Ten Commitments — the journey to date
Justice & Advocacy
“It has been more than 20 months since I started as the Anglican Church Southern Queensland’s Domestic and Family Violence Project Officer, so this seems like a good time to reflect on progress and achievements to date,” says Jenny Clark
It has been more than 20 months since I started as the Anglican Church Southern Queensland’s Domestic and Family Violence Project Officer, so this seems like a good time to reflect on progress and achievements to date.
A Domestic and Family Violence Working Group of dedicated clergy and lay people formed and nurtured this work well before my arrival. The Rev’d Gillian Moses was the initial Chair of the working group, helping to guide this work across our Diocese and the Church nationally.
Implementing the “10 Commitments for Prevention and Response to Domestic and Family Violence in the Anglican Church of Australia” sits at the core of my role. It is a unique document — part strategy and part plan — that addresses the challenging space where theology, culture, tradition and power intersect.
Many organisations have a “Domestic and Family Violence Plan”. Most seek to support victim survivors, particularly their “own” people, and commit to supporting overall initiatives and DFV services. More organisations need to ask the questions that the 10 Commitments do to challenge the drivers to violence, including questions about ways of thinking, culture, inequity and power.
The 10 Commitments have 41 “Strategies that will enable this commitment”, with 38 ideas for action or “Ideas for how we can work together to achieve this” listed under the strategies.
While implementing the 10 Commitments, I have been grateful for the wisdom initially provided by Gillian and then by The Ven. Dr Lucy Morris, who took over chairing the working group in late 2023. Their dedication has helped to support and prioritise this work.
ACSQ Domestic and Family Violence Working Group members Jenny Clark and The Ven. Dr Lucy Morris sitting on the Cathedral Red Bench in September 2023
So, what has the ASCQ project achieved in the last 20 months? Here, in no particular order, are some of the outcomes to date:
- Review and updating of material on the ACSQ’s website (Commitment 2)
- Distribution of services of lament, which were created by Archdeacon Lucy Morris and me (Commitment 1).
- Taking the Not Now, Not Ever Together pledge at Synod (Commitment 6).
- St John’s Cathedral On the Way podcast on DFV prevention (Commitment 3).
- Participation in national Anglican DFV prevention work (such as the forum of practice established by the National DFV Program Manager, The Rev’d Tracy Lauersen, through the Families and Culture Commission) and Queensland ecumenical work through Queensland Churches Together (QTC) (such as the development of an Advent resource) (Commitment 2).
- Members of the Joint Churches Domestic Violence Prevention Project (JCDVPP), including me, delivered training (Commitment 8).
- I ran sessions with St Francis Theological College formation students (Commitment 8).
- The working group endorsed three free Ridley College training courses for clergy, church workers and other Anglican community members (Commitment 8).
- Diocesan Leadership Team reflections in 2023 and 2024 (Commitment 8).
- Jointly, with Anglicare, developing a whole-of-Church submission to the development of “Queensland’s strategy to strengthen responses to people using DFV” (Commitment 6).
- I attended the third National Anglican Gathering on Domestic Violence and the Church in 2023 (Commitment 8).
- Along with other ACSQ clergy and staff, I attended an ecumenical youth gathering at St John’s Cathedral, which was organised by the Queensland Faith Communities Council and focussed on respect and consent (Commitment 3).
- At least six Red Rose Foundation “Red Benches” have been installed in the Diocese (Commitment 2).
Evensong for domestic and family violence prevention at St John’s Cathedral on 26 May 2024, with Archbishop Jeremy, Councillor Vicki Howard. Lesley Briggs from GFS — An Anglican Ministry, Jenny Clark, Vanessa Fowler and Bishop Cam
It has been a privilege supporting and being supported by the ACSQ’s Domestic and Family Violence Working Group — each member provides a unique and valued contribution to this work. Extra thanks go to two remarkable women — Lesley Briggs (GFS — An Anglican Ministry) and Vanessa Fowler (Queensland Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Council).
Two annual periods provide a particular focus for this work — Domestic and Family Violence Prevention Month in May and the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence in November/December. In May this year a candlelight vigil was held in remembrance of those who have lost their lives as a result of domestic abuse. This vigil was held at St Francis College in conjunction with Queensland Churches Together. It was a special event, as was the Evensong on 26 May 2024 in St John’s Cathedral for Domestic and Family Violence Prevention where the St Peter’s Lutheran College choir sung and the sermon was given by The Rev’d Gillian Moses (the Evensong can be viewed on St John’s Cathedral’s YouTube channel).
The absolute highlight for me of the work to date is the signing of the Not Now, Not Ever Together pledge at Synod this year where Archbishop Jeremy so eloquently connected this initiative to other forms of peacemaking. The Anglican Church Southern Queensland is the first faith-based organisation to “take the pledge” (Commitment 6). I was overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of Synod delegates to sign the pledge and be active participants in this work. The depth of understanding of the impact of domestic and family violence was clear — many stories were shared, and many Anglican domestic and family violence prevention champions emerged.
“The absolute highlight for me of the work to date is the signing of the Not Now, Not Ever Together pledge at Synod this year,” (Jenny Clark)
My current focus is on finalising a revised domestic and family violence policy. Revised procedures and guidelines will follow (Commitment 6). For the remainder of the year, the workplan includes a number of workshops, revision of ARC material, a review of marriage preparation material, trialling of bystander training through Queensland Churches Together, and supporting 16 Days of Activism activities.
A red bench was installed and commemorated on 13 May 2023 at St Oswald’s Anglican Church in Banyo, with Jennifer Clark (ACSQ Domestic and Family Violence Project Officer), The Rev’d Elizabeth Donald-McConnell who blessed the bench, Mununjali student Jaara Wright who gave the Acknowledgement to Country (Jaara and her mum, Larissa, wrote the acknowledgement especially for the day), Northgate Ward Councillor Adam Allan (the Lord Mayor’s Community Fund supported the red bench) and Dr Brian Sullivan (Red Rose Foundation spokesperson), Dianne Barnham (Parish Councillor and North-East Deanery Mothers Union Secretary) and Lyn Northfield (Parish Councillor, People’s Warden and North-East Deanery Mothers Union President) in attendance
St Mark’s, Buderim parishioners assembling for the service of lament at the start of the 16 Days of Activism in 2023 — the service included a shoe installation symbolically representing those who have been killed
Author’s note: The Anglican Church Southern Queensland is committed to the implementation of the “Ten Commitments for Prevention and Response to Domestic and Family Violence in the Anglican Church of Australia” as our Church’s response to domestic and family violence.
The following 24/7 telephone services have a long track record responding to people experiencing domestic and family violence:
DV Connect 1800 811 811 helps Queenslanders wanting to leave an abusive relationship.
1800RESPECT is a national service providing information, referrals, and counselling.
If you, or the person you are assisting, are in immediate danger, call the Police on 000.
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