All of us will be familiar with supporting friends, family and colleagues through the ups and downs of relationships. But could some of the more difficult times of argument and conflict be more than general relationship issues? Is there something more sinister going on?
Over the course of a lifetime, 30% of women and 16% of men will be subjected to abuse by a partner, yet so many of us are unsure exactly what constitutes domestic abuse, and wouldn’t know how to react if we, or one of our friends or family, found ourselves in a relationship with an abuser.
Natalie Collins is the perfect guide to lead you through this subject, amassing over a decade’s experience leading workshops, raising awareness and capturing national media attention in her work against domestic abuse.
Highly readable, invaluably insightful and steeped in theological insight, Natalie starts right from the basics, exploring what domestic abuse is, why it is perpetrated and the impact it has on children and adults. Filled with case studies, including Natalie’s own story, this book offers much-needed advice on how we can address domestic abuse, both as individuals and as a church community.
Natalie Collins has been working to address domestic abuse issues for over a decade, working directly with women subjected to abuse and domestic abuse perpetrators, and training ordinands, church leaders and congregations on domestic abuse issues. She has delivered keynote addresses both nationally and internationally on the subject, and has spoken alongside Archbishops and UN representatives. Natalie is also the founder of the ‘Fifty Shades is Domestic Abuse’ campaign and has appeared on national television, radio and printed media talking about abuse, consent and women’s rights.
She has further written several articles and book contributions on domestic violence, and is the author of the widely used domestic abuse pack for UK churches, the Restored Church Pack.