SOCIAL ISSUES
Religious leaders respond to domestic violence

IN THE NORTHEAST
JEWISH
• The Jewish Domestic Violence Task Force of Central Massachusetts provides counseling, mediation and other services to Jewish families. Among its clients are victims of domestic violence. It is based in Worcester, Mass. Contact Zelda Schwartz, past president, 508-755-3101.

MULTIFAITH
• The Joint Urban Ministry Project is a collaborative ministry between religious organizations in Burlington, Vt. Among its clients are victims of domestic violence. Contact 802-862-4501.

IN THE EAST
• Margaret Abraham is a sociology professor at Hofstra University in Hempstead, N.Y. She is the author of Speaking the Unspeakable: Marital Violence Among South Asian Immigrants in the United States (Rutgers University Press, 2000). Contact 516-463-5641, Margaret.Abraham@hofstra.edu.
• Andrea Spencer-Linzie is executive director of the New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault, which has conducted outreach to faith communities in the New Jersey area. Contact 609-631-4450.
• Mary McGee is an adjunct professor in religion at Columbia University in New York, N.Y. She has written about domestic violence and its relationship to religion among South Asians in the United States. Contact 212-854-6821, mm383@columbia.edu.

CHRISTIAN
• Arnita Cirksey is the co-founder of I’m Free Ministries, a faith-based nonprofit organization that provides assistance to victims of domestic violence. It is operated by Bethany Baptist Church in Lindenwold, N.J. Contact 856-782-6754, imfree@go2bethany.com.
• Pamela Cooper-White is a professor of pastoral theology at Lutheran Theological Seminary at Philadelphia. She is the author of The Cry of Tamar: Violence Against Women and the Church’s Response (Augsburg Fortress, 1995). Contact 215-248-7375, pcooper@ltsp.edu.
• Ted Bunch and Tony Porter are the co-founders of A Call to Men, an association committed to ending domestic violence against women. It is located in Valley Stream, N.Y. In February 2007, both men were presenters at the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute’s conference for church leaders, This Far by Faith. Contact 917-922-6738.
• Tonya Lovelace of the Women of Color Network in Harrisburg, Pa., spoke at a February 2007 This Far by Faith seminar of the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute. The network works to eliminate violence against women and families. Contact 800-537-2238 ext. 137.
• The Rev. Traci C. West is associate professor of ethics and African-American studies at Drew University Theological School in Madison, N.J. She wrote an article on domestic violence in 2000 for the American Academy of Religion and is the author of Wounds of the Spirit: Black Women, Violence and Resistance Ethics (New York University Press, 1999). Contact 973-408-3082, twest@drew.edu.

JEWISH
• Project Stop Abusive Relationships at Home (SARAH) is a program of the Jewish Family Services of Clifton-Passaic, N.J., that targets domestic violence in Jewish and Russian-speaking homes. Contact 973-777-7638.
• Yitzchok Breitowitz is the rabbi of the Woodside Synagogue in Silver Spring, Md. He speaks on issues of family law and ethics and has delivered talks on men’s anger and the Torah. Contact 301-587-8252, rabbi@wsat.org.

MUSLIM
• The Peaceful Families Project of Great Falls, Va., has a roster of speakers who can address domestic violence issues in the Muslim community. The speakers are all residents of the metro Washington area. Contact 703-474-6870, info@peacefulfamilies.org.
• Imam Mohammad Qatanani of the Islamic Center of Passaic County in Paterson, N.J., counsels men on domestic violence. Contact 973-278-7070 ext. 12.

MULTIFAITH
• Lakshmi Rajagopal is a coordinator for Manavi, a domestic abuse center for South Asian women in New Brunswick, N.J. Many of the women who come through the center are Muslim, and coordinators recognize religion as a major factor in battling domestic abuse. Contact 732-435-1414.

IN THE SOUTHEAST
CHRISTIAN
• The Rev. Robin Griffeth is a United Methodist pastor in Orangeburg, S.C., who has participated in conferences on the religious response to domestic violence. She has volunteered for Sistercare, a battered women’s shelter, and was a training coordinator for the South Carolina Coalition Against Domestic Violence and Sexual Abuse. Contact 803-823-2989, ragriffeth@umcsc.org or ragriffeth@aol.com.
• The Rev. Amanda Hendler-Voss is minister of faith formation at First Congregational United Church of Christ in Asheville, N.C., and a member of the Wellspring Clergywomen’s Alliance of the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute. Contact ahendlervoss@qmail.com.
• The Rev. Melody Johnson is director of outreach, team care, caring and sharing at Greater Piney Grove Baptist Church in Atlanta. She spoke at a February 2007 This Far by Faith seminar of the Black Church and Domestic Violence Institute. Contact 404-377-0562, mjohnson@pineygrovebapt.org.

JEWISH
• Beverly Horsburgh is a law professor at St. Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Fla. One of her specialties is Jewish law and Jewish battered women. Contact 305-962-2132, bhorsbur@stu.edu.

IN THE SOUTH
• Lydia Walker is a nationally known domestic violence consultant based in Springdale, Ark. She has written three books on domestic violence and consults with groups, including religious organizations, about responding to domestic violence. Contact via her Web site.

CHRISTIAN
• Ellen T. Armour is director of the Carpenter Program in Religion, Gender and Sexuality at Vanderbilt University in Nashville and a professor in the Divinity School. Contact 615-322-2776, ellen.t.armour@vanderbilt.edu.
• Sara Lisherness co-edited Striking Terror No More: The Church Responds to Domestic Violence (Bridge Resources, 1997). She is the coordinator of the Presbyterian Peacemaking Program in Louisville, Ky. Contact 888-728-7228 ext. 5779.
• The Rev. Renita Weems is an independent scholar who lives in Nashville, Tenn. She is the author of Battered Love: Marriage, Sex and Violence in the Hebrew Prophets (Fortress Press, 1995). Contact 615-299-8704, sowithin@bellsouth.net.

IN THE MIDWEST
CHRISTIAN
• Brenda Branson founded Focus Ministries after experiencing domestic abuse. Read a September/October 2004 Q&A from Christianity Today. Contact her in Elmhurst, Ill., at 630-595-7023. The ministry also has a Kentucky office at Hanson: 270-825-2423.
• The Rev. Chuck Dahm is a Dominican priest and pastor of St. Pius V Parish in Chicago. He was the keynote speaker at the first domestic violence conference for Catholic clergy in Chicago. He is the author of Parish Ministry in a Hispanic Community (Paulist Press, 2004), which includes a section on violence and machismo. Contact 312-226-6161.
• The Rev. David J. Holden is the minister for adult education and men’s ministries with the United Church of Christ’s Worship and Education Ministry Team of Local Church Ministries in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2003, he wrote an essay describing domestic violence as a men’s problem that should be addressed within a Christian framework. Contact 216-736-3861, holdend@ucc.org.
• Jennifer Marcum is executive director of Safe Haven Ministries, a Christian-based ministry for victims of domestic abuse in Grand Rapids, Mich. The ministry has an informational outreach program for congregations called “Raise Hope.” Contact 616-452-6664, jmarcum@safehavenministries.org.
• Linda Mercadante is a professor of historical theology at the Methodist Theological School in Ohio in Delaware, Ohio. She contributed an article on violence, abuse and oppression to The IVP Women’s Bible Commentary (InterVarsity Press, 2002). Contact 740-362-3442, lmercadante@mtso.edu.
• James Newton Poling is a professor of pastoral care, counseling and theology at Garrett-Evangelical Theological Seminary in Evanston, Ill. He has written about domestic violence as a pastoral care issue. Contact 847-866-3985, james.poling@garrett.edu.

IN THE SOUTHWEST
• Lakshmy Parameswaran is the founder and past president of DAYA, a Houston organization that raises awareness about domestic violence in the South Asian community. She participated in a Q&A with Beliefnet.com on the subject of a spiritual solution to domestic violence. Contact 713-981-7645, lakshmy12@hotmail.com.
• Sheryl Cates is executive director of the Texas Council on Family Violence, an organization that works to educate the community about domestic violence. It has formed partnerships with different faith groups across Texas and publishes a brochure for clergy about responding to domestic violence. It is based in Austin, Texas. Contact 512-794-1133.
• Patricia Castillo is executive director of PEACE Initiative, a San Antonio, Texas, coalition of organizations committed to ending domestic violence. PEACE has held workshops for local faith leaders about responding to domestic violence. Contact 210-533-2729.

CHRISTIAN
• Christie Cozad Neuger is a professor of pastoral theology and pastoral counseling at Texas Christian University in Fort Worth. Contact 817-257-7575, c.neuger@tcu.edu.

MUSLIM
• P. Aneesah Nadir is an assistant professor of social work at Arizona State University in Tempe. She has written about the problem of domestic abuse in the American Islamic community for SoundVision.com, an Islamic information Web site. Contact 602-543-6670, Aneesah.Nadir@asu.edu.

IN THE WEST/NORTHWEST
• Chata Alfaro is executive director of the Support Network for Battered Women in Sunnyvale, Calif. Since 1998, the network has been working with local faith leaders to improve their response to domestic violence. Contact 408-541-1333, snbw@snbw.org.

CHRISTIAN
• Carolyn Rexius is director of Christians Addressing Family Abuse in Eugene, Ore. Contact 541-686-6000.
• The Rev. Lydia Sarandan is associate pastor of St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church in Newport Beach, Calif.; a member of Presbytery Committee on Domestic Abuse; and a member of the board of directors of Peace and Safety in the Christian home. Contact 949-631-2880.
• St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Medina, Wash., recently held a Sunday Forum series on domestic violence at the church. After the forum, the church’s clergy signed the National Declaration by Religious and Spiritual Leaders to Address Violence Against Women. Contact Josh Hosler, associate for Christian formation, 425-454-9541, josh@stthomasmedina.org.

JEWISH
• Naomi Tucker is executive director of Shalom Bayit, a nonprofit organization that works to prevent domestic violence in the Northern California Jewish community. It is based in Oakland, Calif. Contact 510-451-8874, naomi@shalom-bayit.org.
• Debbie Levenstein is a licensed social worker and the advocacy director of the Domestic Abuse Women’s Network in Tukwila, Wash. Among her specialties is dealing with Jewish women and domestic violence. Contact DebALev@aol.com.

MUSLIM
• Dena Hassouneh-Phillips is an assistant professor at the Oregon Health and Science University in Portland. She has studied spousal abuse within the American Muslim community. Contact 503-494-2714, phillide@ohsu.edu.
• Reshma Yunus is one of the co-founding directors of SEMAH, a Muslim-oriented organization that works to end domestic violence. It has held workshops with local faith leaders about their response to domestic violence. It is based in Newark, Calif. Contact 510-206-8158, info@SEMAH.org.

MULTIFAITH
• Kavitha Sreeharsha is president of Narika, an organization that offers aid to South Asian victims of domestic violence and conducts outreach to local clergy in Sikh and Muslim worship centers. Narika is based in Berkeley, Calif. Contact 510-444-6068, narika@narika.org.