Important reading for the Restoring Sanctuary Innovation Grant

It is essential that all applicants refer to and familiarise themselves with the Guidance, Information and Conditions document before submitting their Expression of Interest.

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What is the Restoring Sanctuary Innovation Grant?

An initiative of Mercy & Justice at ADM, this grant is intended to draw out new initiatives to resource the church in responding to the ongoing crisis of domestic violence, so that women may flourish as God intended. The grant offers a single prize of $80,000 to the application that best meets the selection criteria in fulfilling the following objective:

To create a victim-focused, theology- and trauma- informed program for use across churches and Christian communities to support the safety, recovery and flourishing of domestic violence victims.

Who can apply for the Restoring Sanctuary Innovation Grant?

Applications are welcome from across both the church and the country. All applications will, however, need to be led by an individual woman who has a personal Christian faith, is a citizen or permanent resident of Australia or a refugee living in Australia, and who is over 18 years of age.

We encourage those with specialist expertise in the domestic violence response community to apply, as well as those with a robust understanding of trauma and Christian theological frameworks of abuse.

When do applications open?

Applications opened with an ‘Expression of Interest’ stage on Monday 25th November 2019, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Expression of Interest applications closed on Thursday 30th January 2020.

Key term definitions

VICTIM-FOCUSED

By Victim-focused, we are referring to programs that directly or indirectly addresses the needs of victims of domestic violence, particularly in a Christian context. Programs that understand the practical needs of victims, from psychological, spiritual, emotional, financial and/or legal viewpoints, will be meeting this criteria. Programs should do this and also seek to at least begin to assist these needs by:

making victims feel safe themselves; or
making churches safer places for victims to be able to enjoy, heal, and fellowship with other Christians without being retraumatised; or
promoting healing of victims, particularly psychologically and spiritually; or
reconciling victims who have suffered secondary abuse from the church with the body of Christ; or
helping churches practically demonstrate that they understand the needs of victims; or
giving opportunity for victims further along the healing process to continue to grow so that they feel able to take opportunities that allow them to flourish in Christ; or
any combination of the above.

Examples of applications that would not meet this would include a proposal for development of a domestic violence perpetrator rehabilitation program, or a preventative program that teaches women how to avoid being trapped in manipulative relationships.

THEOLOGICALLY INFORMED

By theologically informed, we are referring to programs based on a Christian ethic that recognises the supreme authority of the Bible as the word of God and acknowledges Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord.

Applicants need to be able to articulate a biblical understanding of why they are seeking to care for abuse victims. They also need to be aware of how misuse of Biblical teaching or Christian doctrines can become a tool of spiritual abuse in intimate relationships. Furthermore, applicants will need to demonstrate that they are well enough connected with a Christian denomination to understand the dynamics of local churches so that they are able to produce a program that can be replicated among Australian churches.

TRAUMA INFORMED

Trauma can be defined as a psychological and emotional response to an event, events or an experience that is deeply distressing or disturbing. By trauma-informed, we are referring to programs that are aware of and taking into consideration the impacts of trauma upon a victim and common presentations of traumatic stress in those experiencing trauma.

Applicants will need to demonstrate an awareness of the psychological, physiological and spiritual impacts of traumatic experience on victims and the types of environments that enhance or hinder healing, including the church context. For example, finding physical and emotional safety and being actively involved in a supportive community can significantly assist on the path to recovery from trauma.

Applicants need to be aware that some intimate partner abuse victims have suffered secondary abuse at the hands of church members and ministers, such as feeling judged by churches that have labelled natural responses to trauma as ‘sinful’.