Women's Ministries will be working with Family Ministries, Health Ministries, Children's Ministries, Youth Department, Education Department, and Ministerial Association in preparing materials for the prevention emphasis day. Although it is an uncomfortable subject for many people it has become more and more obvious that abuse is a serious problem for Christians, for Adventists. Abuse in any form deforms the body of Christ—for the victim, for the perpetrator, and for the church that is left with the hurting members.

The Emphasis Day will provide an opportunity for local churches to address this issue to educate church members and leadership, and to let victims know that their church cares.

Women's Ministries directors in the local churches should plan very early so that this day can be a part of the local church planning. Work closely with your pastor, keeping him or her informed.

Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day represents a "step in the right direction," said Karen Flowers, associate director of Family Ministries at the General Conference. Family Ministries has already developed a range of resources on this subject that will be of great value as they become more well used at the local level.

Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day Resource 2008

The entire program packet may be opened in MS Word, HTML file, or Adobe Acrobat, depending on which program is available to you. You may print it and reproduce it if you'd like to share it with others. We encourage you to use it in your church's Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day.

Abuse of Power (by Ardis and Dick Stenbakken)
MS Word (158KB) HTML (210KB) Adobe Acrobat (82KB)

Abuse of Power (powerpoint presentation to go with the program)
Powerpoint (3,576KB)

[Archive]

The Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day packet for this year has been written by a couple, Ardis and Dick Stenbakken. Many in Women’s Ministries know Ardis and her passion to prevent abuse, but not many know her husband. He is an ordained minister as well as a professional marriage and family counselor who has done thousands of hours of counseling and has taught and worked with many who have faced issues of abuse of power, this year’s topic.

In her remarks to the delegates at the Annual Council about this day, Stenbakken said that "We want this to be done in an educating, healthy way, not condemning anyone because both men and women abuse; and men, women, children, and the elderly are victims."

"We must face this evil and name this challenge for what it is—sin. Something that comes from the devil himself. We need to meet this evil with spiritual weapons as well as with support, anger management, shelters, counseling, and the other usual tools," she concluded.

In August Women's Ministries helped to sponsor Helen Pearson of Great Britain, TED, to attend an inter-faith meeting on domestic violence in Dundee, Scotland. The leadership was so impressed when they saw what resources Pearson had from the Adventist church that they invited Karen Flowers to attend, also.

Delegates at this meeting came from all parts of the world to share resources; they developed nine principles of action intended to raise awareness of the abuse issue and to encourage churches to develop effective programs.

We want to encourage all women to be involved in and plan for this special day.

Statement on Family Violence

Family violence involves an assault of any kind—verbal, physical, emotional, sexual, or active or passive neglect—that is committed by one person or persons against another within a family, whether they are married, related, living together or apart, or divorced. Current international research indicates that family violence is a global problem. It occurs between individuals of all ages and nationalities, at all socioeconomic levels, and in families from all types of religious and non-religious backgrounds. The overall rate of incidence has been found to be similar for city, suburban, and rural communities.

Family violence manifests itself in a number of ways. For example, it may be a physical attack on one's spouse. Emotional assaults such as verbal threats, episodes of rage, depreciation of character, and unrealistic demands for perfection are also abuse. It may take the form of physical coercion and violence within the marital sexual relationship, or the threat of violence through the use of intimidating verbal or nonverbal behavior. It includes behavior such as incest and the mistreatment or neglect of underage children by a parent or another guardian that results in injury or harm. Violence against the elderly may be seen in physical, psychological, sexual, verbal, material, and medical abuse or neglect. The Bible clearly indicates that the distinguishing mark of Christian believers is the quality of their human relationships in the church and in the family. It is in the spirit of Christ to love and accept, to seek to affirm and build others up, rather than to abuse or tear one another down. There is no room among Christ's followers for tyrannical control and the abuse of power or authority. Motivated by their love for Christ, His disciples are called to show respect and concern for the welfare of others, to accept males and females as equals, and to acknowledge that every person has a right to respect and dignity. Failure to relate to others in this way violates their personhood and devalues human beings created and redeemed by God.

The apostle Paul refers to the church as ‘‘the household of faith'' which functions as an extended family, offering acceptance, understanding, and comfort to all, especially to those who are hurting or disadvantaged. Scripture portrays the church as a family in which personal and spiritual growth can occur as feelings of betrayal, rejection, and grief give way to feelings of forgiveness, trust, and wholeness. The Bible also speaks of the Christian's personal responsibility to protect his or her body temple from desecration because it is the dwelling place of God.

Regrettably, family violence occurs in many Christian homes. It can never be condoned. It severely affects the lives of all involved and often results in long term distorted perceptions of God, self, and others.

It is our belief that the Church has a responsibility—

1. To care for those involved in family violence and to respond to their needs by:

2. To strengthen family life by:

3. To accept our moral responsibility to be alert and responsive to abuse within the families of our congregations and our communities, and to declare that such abusive behavior is a violation of Seventh-day Adventist Christian standards. Any indications or reports of abuse must not be minimized but seriously considered. For church members to remain indifferent and unresponsive is to condone, perpetuate, and possibly extend family violence.

If we are to live as children of the light, we must illuminate the darkness where family violence occurs in our midst. We must care for one another, even when it would be easier to remain uninvolved.

(The above statement is informed by principles expressed in the following scriptural passages: Ex 20:12; Matt 7:12; 20:25-28; Mark 9:33-45; John 13:34; Rom 12:10, 13; l Cor 6:19; Gal 3:28; Eph 5:2, 3, 21-27; 6:1-4; Col 3:12-14; 1 Thess 5:11; 1 Tim 5:5-8.)

This statement was voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) on August 27, 1996, and by the General Conference Executive Committee at the Annual Council in San Jose, Costa Rica, October 1-10, 1996.

Statement on Abuse & Family Violence

Seventh-day Adventists affirm the dignity and worth of each human being and decry all forms of physical, sexual and emotional abuse and family violence. We recognize the global extent of this problem and the serious, long-term effects upon the lives of all involved. We believe that Christians must respond to abuse and family violence both within the church and in the community. We take seriously reports of abuse and violence and have highlighted these issues for discussion at this international assembly. We believe that to remain indifferent and unresponsive is to condone, perpetuate, and potentially extend such behavior. We accept our responsibility to cooperate with other professional services, to listen and care for those suffering from abuse and family violence, to highlight the injustices, and to speak out in defense of victims. We will help persons in need to identify and access the range of available professional services. When changed attitudes and behavior open possibilities for forgiveness and new beginnings, we will provide a ministry of reconciliation. We will assist families in grief over relationships that cannot be restored. We will address the spiritual questions confronting abused persons, seeking to understand the origins of abuse and family violence and developing better ways of preventing the recurring cycle.

This statement was approved and voted by the General Conference of Seventh-day Adventists Administrative Committee (ADCOM) and was released by the Office of the President, Robert S. Folkenberg, at the General Conference session in Utrecht, the Netherlands, June 29-July 8, 1995

Statement on Child Sexual Abuse

Child sexual abuse occurs when a person older or stronger than the child uses his or her power, authority, or position of trust to involve a child in sexual behavior or activity. Incest, a specific form of child sexual abuse, is defined as any sexual activity between a child and a parent, a sibling, an extended family member, or a step/surrogate parent.

Sexual abusers may be men or women and may be of any age, nationality, or socio-economic background. They are often men who are married with children, have respectable jobs, and may be regular churchgoers. It is common for offenders to strongly deny their abusive behavior, to refuse to see their actions as a problem, and to rationalize their behavior or place blame on something or someone else. While it is true that many abusers exhibit deeply rooted insecurities and low self-esteem, these problems should never be accepted as an excuse for sexually abusing a child. Most authorities agree that the real issue in child sexual abuse is more related to a desire for power and control than for sex.

When God created the human family, He began with a marriage between a man and a woman based on mutual love and trust. This relationship is still designed to provide the foundation for a stable, happy family in which the dignity, worth, and integrity of each family member is protected and upheld. Every child, whether male or female, is to be affirmed as a gift from God. Parents are given the privilege and responsibility of providing nurture, protection, and physical care for the children entrusted to them by God. Children should be able to honor, respect, and trust their parents and other family members without the risk of abuse.

The Bible condemns child sexual abuse in the strongest possible terms. It sees any attempt to confuse, blur, or denigrate personal, generational, or gender boundaries through sexually abusive behavior as an act of betrayal and a gross violation of personhood. It openly condemns abuses of power, authority, and responsibility because these strike at the very heart of the victims' deepest feelings about themselves, others, and God, and shatter their capacity to love and trust. Jesus used strong language to condemn the actions of anyone who, through word or deed, causes a child to stumble.

The Adventist Christian community is not immune from child sexual abuse. We believe that the tenets of the Seventh-day Adventist faith require us to be actively involved in its prevention. We are also committed to spiritually assisting abused and abusive individuals and their families in their healing and recovery process, and to holding church professionals and church lay leaders accountable for maintaining their personal behavior as is appropriate for persons in positions of spiritual leadership and trust.

As a Church we believe our faith calls us to:

1. Uphold the principles of Christ for family relationships in which the self-respect, dignity, and purity of children are recognized as divinely mandated rights.
2. Provide an atmosphere where children who have been abused can feel safe when reporting sexual abuse and can feel that someone will listen to them.
3. Become thoroughly informed about sexual abuse and its impact upon our own church community.
4. Help ministers and lay leaders to recognize the warning signs of child sexual abuse and know how to respond appropriately when abuse is suspected or a child reports being sexually abused.
5. Establish referral relationships with professional counselors and local sexual assault agencies who can, with their professional skills, assist abuse victims and their families.
6. Create guidelines/policies at the appropriate levels to assist church leaders in:
   a. Endeavoring to treat with fairness persons accused of sexually abusing children,
   b. Holding abusers accountable for their actions and administering appropriate discipline.
7. Support the education and enrichment of families and family members by:
   a. Dispelling commonly held religious and cultural beliefs which may be used to justify or cover up child sexual abuse.
   b. Building a healthy sense of personal worth in each child which enables him or her to respect self and others.
   c. Fostering Christlike relationships between males and females in the home and in the church.
8. Provide caring support and a faith-based redemptive ministry within the church community for abuse survivors and abusers while enabling them to access the available network of professional resources in the community.
9. Encourage the training of more family professionals to facilitate the healing and recovery process of abuse victims and perpetrators.
   

(The above statement is informed by principles expressed in the following scriptural passages: Gen 1:26-28; 2:18-25; Lev 18:20; 2 Sam 13:1-22; Matt 18:6-9; 1 Cor 5:1-5; Eph 6:1-4; Col 3:18-21; 1 Tim 5:5-8.)

This statement was voted during the Spring Meeting of the General Conference Executive Committee on Tuesday, April 1, 1997, in Loma Linda, California.

Abuse Prevention Day

The Annual Council voted on September 26, 2001, to add an Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day to the church calendar of special Sabbaths. This will be on the church calendar around the world. The fourth Sabbath in August has been designated as the Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day. The General Conference Women's Ministries will be supplying material that can be used that day just as it does for the International Women's Day of Prayer in March and the Women's Ministries Emphasis day in June.

Women's Ministries will be working with Family Ministries, Health Ministries, Children's Ministries, Youth Department, Education Department, and Ministerial Association in preparing materials for the prevention emphasis day. Although it is an uncomfortable subject for many people it has become more and more obvious that abuse is a serious problem for Christians, for Adventists. Abuse in any form deforms the body of Christ—for the victim, for the perpetrator, and for the church that is left with the hurting members.

The Emphasis Day will provide an opportunity for local churches to address this issue to educate church members and leadership, and to let victims know that their church cares.

Women's Ministries directors in the local churches should plan very early so that this day can be a part of the local church planning. Work closely with your pastor, keeping him or her informed.

Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day represents a "step in the right direction," said Karen Flowers, associate director of Family Ministries at the General Conference. Family Ministries has already developed a range of resources on this subject that will be of great value as they become more well used at the local level.

In her remarks to the delegates at the Annual Council about this day, Stenbakken said that "We want this to be done in an educating, healthy way, not condemning anyone because both men and women abuse; and men, women, children, and the elderly are victims."
" We must face this evil and name this challenge for what it is—sin. Something that comes from the devil himself. We need to meet this evil with spiritual weapons as well as with support, anger management, shelters, counseling, and the other usual tools," she concluded.

In August Women's Ministries helped to sponsor Helen Pearson of Great Britain, TED, to attend an inter-faith meeting on domestic violence in Dundee, Scotland. The leadership was so impressed when they saw what resources Pearson had from the Adventist church that they invited Karen Flowers to attend, also.

Delegates at this meeting came from all parts of the world to share resources; they developed nine principles of action intended to raise awareness of the abuse issue and to encourage churches to develop effective programs.

We want to encourage all women to be involved in and plan for this special day.

GC Women’s Ministries Resources on Abuse

(available at www.adventsource.com)