A sacred space – a space of deep sharing and learning. This was the essence of our third Online Lunchtime Conversation on the impact of gender-based violence (GBV) on mental health and the role of the faith sector.
We opened by setting the space as a container for all to be safe and courageous. After focusing on the Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy and the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBVF), we indeed went into a safe and courageous space of sharing.
GBV and Mental Health in the NSP
Pillar 4: Response, Care, Support and Healing
Mental ill health is a key consequence of GBV, with the negative effect of chronic GBV (eg. domestic violence, repeated rape). Mental illness has the highest risk for children, with a high predictor of GBV as adults. There is a strong link between GBV, mental illness and addiction – as a driver and a consequence. Of importance is that there is no mention of spiritual wellbeing and the link to mental health.
The NSP aims to improve local community rapid response teams and other intersectoral referral systems for early intervention, so it is important for faith communities to participate.
GBV and Mental Health in t
he Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy and Business Plan
PATHWAY 3: Creating safe, caring, inclusive, accountable faith communities
Outcome 5: Faith communities commit to institutional transformation through internal mechanisms for safety, inclusiveness and accountability, rooted in relational advocacy.
What will achieve this outcome? If:
- Increased sense of safety and wellbeing in faith communities
- Faith communities host activities that open safe spaces and workshops to equip members of the faith community to address difficult issues and find solutions together.
- Faith communities as members of local community GBV Rapid Response Teams
What we are looking for:
- Evidence of improved mental health and resilience amongst participating faith leaders, members and GBV survivors.
We moved on to a deep and vulnerable share by Gil of her experiences of domestic violence and how this impacted her mental health. She spoke of the physical and emotional abuse she experienced and went on to then explain the spiritual abuse she also went through, grounding it in the definition in the Interfaith Strategy: “a distortion and exploitation of spiritual authority and sacred texts to manipulate, control, abuse, or harm others, mostly through shame and fear. This may be deliberate or due to ignorance and unconscious bias.”
Some participants responded by sharing their experiences. One participant said that after experiencing spiritual abuse, she stayed away from church until she was healed enough to return. Another pointed out that there is a need for workshops on how to listen, support and more the importance of confidentiality if congregants or members share their stories.
This was the third in a series designed to encourage more collaboration for greater impact, exploring how our Interfaith GBV Prevention and Mitigation Strategy connects with the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (NSP on GBV). The outcomes of these Online Lunchtime Conversations are:
- The faith sector understands and actively supports the NSP and its 6 pillars;
- The broader GBV sector is aware of the faith sector’s contributions at all levels and supports their work; and
- There is improved collaboration for greater impact.