Alison Robinson. Nerol Doble. Bonnie-Lee Anderson. Keira Marshall. Alana Martin. These are just some of the known women killed in 2024 due to family and domestic-related violence. They were part of a list of known victims, and unnamed victims, from across Australia, who were remembered at the recent Holding the Light service. Held at Wesley Church in Melbourne’s CBD, the annual gathering brings together people from various faith traditions, and none, to remember and pray for victims and survivors of family and domestic violence. It is an occasion to name out loud those who have died in the past year due to gender-based violence.
This year, while attendees sat in silent prayer and reflection, a bell tolled 66 times—one toll for each woman known to have been murdered in Australia since 1 January 2024 due to domestic and gender-based violence. The service, held on 28 November, is one of many awareness-raising events during the annual 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence campaign, which runs from 25 November to 10 December. Organised by a committee of representatives from Catholic, Uniting, and Anglican faith traditions, the service was led by Rev Rachel Kronberger from Wesley Uniting Church and Fr. Michael Bowie of St Peter’s Eastern Hill.
Words from the opening prayer echoed throughout the church: “We gather today to be in each other’s presence, as we remember, name, and respond to violence in our lives, in our families, in our churches, and in our communities. We long for a world without violence.”
“Today, we gather for a service of naming,’ stated Fr Michael. ‘We will name the dimensions and dynamics of the serious problem of violence in our society. It is all around us.
“We will name the survivors and victims of family and domestic violence who are known to us. We will name the God present in and through all our efforts to create lives free from violence. We will seek to hold the light for those who are in dark places and for those whose lives are emerging from darkness.”
Fr Michael Bowie
According to Our Watch, a leading national body working to prevent violence against women, one woman is killed on average every nine days by a current or former partner. Statistics indicate that one in four women (27%) has experienced violence, emotional abuse, or economic abuse by a cohabitating partner since the age of 15. Two in five women (39%) have experienced violence since the age of 15; and men are more commonly the perpetrators of physical violence, sexual harassment, and sexual violence. Women are more likely to experience violence from someone they know rather than a stranger (35% versus 11%).
During the service, Rev. Dr. Morag Logan voiced the names of the women killed by family and domestic violence since 1 January 2024. “Many go unnamed, unknown as victims of abuse,” she said, “Yet we can name some. May God bless our naming of these women and those grieving their deaths.”
Following this, Dr Hannah Craven, an academic in theology at Ridley College, and Deacon Oliver Slewa from the Assyrian Church of the East, addressed the gathering. Dr Craven shared the parable from Luke 18 about a persistent widow seeking justice from an unjust judge. Despite her repeated cries for help, the judge refuses to acknowledge her claim. There is a strong resonance between Jesus’ story of this persistent widow and her husband, and the experience of women striving for safety and justice after experiencing abuse, Dr Craven remarked. She highlighted how often women must turn to men in positions of power for assistance, reflecting the “all-too-common slowness of action” and the reluctance of leaders to respond.
Through this story, she emphasised that “God is not blind or deaf” to the suffering of women, to those who are victims and survivors of different forms of violence or abuse. She reassured the audience that God recognises and cares about the struggle for justice. Dr Craven described the widow as a model of discipleship and faith, celebrating her persistence in seeking justice.
“We gather today to join our voices to lament, to cry out for justice, and to hold hope for a better future … We do this in safety and confidence in this space because we know that in this pursuit we are on the side of God—that God is with us.”
Dr Hannah Craven
Deacon Oliver Slewa has served as the Family and Domestic Violence project officer for the National Council of Churches in Australia for the past four years. He emphasised that abuse takes many forms, including physical, psychological, coercive control, spiritual, and financial abuse. He noted that the most vulnerable—elderly, youth, children, and those with disabilities—are often “forgotten and neglected most.”
To address this, Deacon Oliver trains pastors and religious leaders in recognising the signs of domestic violence and responding appropriately. The programs are not to make them “professional social workers”. Rather, it’s to equip them with the foundational aspect of what support is needed, he explained. He stressed the importance of intervening before situations escalate to physical violence, as “victim survivors seek support at the most dangerous and unsafe point of their lives” and often turn to their faith leaders first.
He provided an example of a young woman, a newly arrived refugee facing separation and language barriers, who found support through the church’s women’s choir. “These are the roles the church is playing—not just religious leaders, but also youth groups, women’s auxiliary committees, senior groups,” he said.
Deacon Oliver also highlighted the need to care for perpetrators, stating, “Churches have to play an important role, not just to support victim survivors, but also the perpetrator.” He warned that neglecting the needs of perpetrators could lead to future violence, emphasising the necessity of providing support for their psychological and behavioural issues. He hopes that the programs he is using to assist religious leaders across the denominations can be used by others.
In concluding, Dr Craven recognised and acknowledged the increasing awareness among various churches and organisations regarding the impact of domestic violence, and the desire to act. “Is it enough?” she asked. “Well, we keep doing our work each day. And we continue to work and pray.”
People were invited to come forward to light a candle out of love for someone they have carried in their heart. ‘Let us hold these sisters and brothers silent in our hearts, as these candles symbolically hold the light for them,’ said Rev. Kronberger.
A candle was also lit for those who victims of violence whose names are unable to be spoken publicly, or who are unknown to us. ‘Let us hold them in our thoughts and prayers, too.’
A collection of donations was taken at the service, with money raised going towards the work of Wellsprings for Women, a tailored and specialist family violence service in Dandenong that is responsive to the needs of women from migrant, refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds. Wellsprings for Women is also a member of Catholic Social Services Victoria.
Holding the Light Ballarat
The Holding the Light Planning Committee in Melbourne was pleased to be able to share the liturgy for a service held in Ballarat on December 10. Rev Lauleti Tu’inauvai, Rev Michael O’Brien, Rev Marcia Eveland, Rev Justin Driscoll and Bishop Paul Bird all took part in leading the service.
Holding the Light was particularly pertinent in Ballarat this year, where the community has been devastated by the tragic outcomes of violence against women. Jocelyn Bignold, CEO at McAuley Community Services for Women, spoke at the service.
Resources for Catholic parishes to prevent and respond to family and domestic violence
Catholic Social Services Victoria, together with some of its members, have been working to provide a comprehensive set of resources to assist the Catholic community in gaining a deeper understanding of domestic and family violence, and how to best respond. Since 2022, CSSV together with the Catholic Diocese of Sale and Sr Nicole Rotaru RSM ran a pilot program which successfully educated, informed and equipped parish communities to address domestic and family violence. The evaluation report, Shining A Light: A collaborative project working to build capacity for a whole-of-Church response to domestic and family violence was released last year.
The program provides a clear pathway for other faith-based communities wanting to increase their understanding of family and domestic violence, and ways in which to address it within their own communities. Download the report here, or please contact the CSSV office.
In 2024, CSSV has also released new resources, including a brochure and poster, for use in parishes and beyond. These are designed to provide clear, simple information and to spark wider conversations about the role of the Catholic community in working for the prevention of domestic and family violence.
