English Catholic women ID ways to spot all types of domestic abuse

WASHINGTON (DC)
Catholic News Service/USCCB via Crux

August 21, 2020

By Simon Caldwell

Manchester, England – Responding to a pandemic-related surge in domestic abuse, including against gay and transgender people, the National Board of Catholic Women urged pastors and fellow Catholics to learn the signs of abuse and how to help victims.

The booklet, which defines abuse and provides examples of abusive behavior, pointed out that domestic abuse also occurs in same-sex relationships and is experienced by transgender people as well.

“Whilst recognizing the teaching of the Catholic Church on same-sex relationships, there will be parishioners who identify as LGBTQ+,” the booklet said. “As a matter of pastoral compassion, it is important that our priests and parishioners are aware of domestic abuse issues within these relationships.”

Trans persons suffer domestic abuse when their “sense of gender or sexual identity” is undermined by spouses or family members, said the booklet.

The board, a consultative body to the Bishops’ Conference of England and Wales, also defined as abusive withholding hormones and surgery “needed to express victim’s gender identity.”

The booklet, “Raising Awareness of Domestic Abuse,” was published in mid-August on the website of the bishops’ conference and will be distributed to parishes throughout England and Wales. A report about the document and a link to it were featured on Vatican News.

Note: This is an Abuse Tracker excerpt. Click the title to view the full text of the original article. If the original article is no longer available, see our News Archive.