The following resources are available from various catholic agencies for an end to domestic violence and violence against women:
- Catholic Social Services Victoria brochure June 2024 “Let’s build respectful communities”
- Australian Catholic Bishops Conference “What does the Catholic Church teach about violence again women?”;
- A prayer service “Prayer for the Elimination of Violence Against Women” from the National Centre for Evangelisation;
- Social Justice Statement 2022-23, “Respect: Confronting violence and abuse”, developed by the Australian Catholic Bishop’s Conference’s Office for Justice, Ecology and Peace;
- Catholic Social Services Victoria “Prevention of Domestic Violence Kit”;
- “A Catholic Response to Domestic Violence” from the Diocese of Broken Bay.
Prayer to end domestic violence
Loving God, we pray for an to end domestic, family and violence against women in our community. We ask for your wisdom and guidance. We pray for constancy in seeking a society where all people are safe in their home, families and close relationships, and where all relationships respect the equality and dignity of each person.
We pray for all those affected by violence, that they may find safety and healing. We pray that all women and children will find a place and life free from violence and children will be cared for in nurturing, protective and supportive ways. We pray for young men that they may find models of respectful relationships and reject the violent and demeaning images of manhood current in our society.
We ask for the courage to confront the causes of family violence, including the prevalence of violence in society, abuse of power and the unequal position of women in the community. We pray for right and just relations between all people, so that together we may transform and overcome violence in all its forms. We long for the time you have promised, when violence is banished, women and men are open to love and be loved, children are protected and the work and wealth of our world is justly shared.
Through Christ our Lord. Amen.
Source: Catholic Social Services Victoria