ABUSE

Domestic Abuse, Child Abuse, Human Trafficking in South Dakota

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For ministers, we will likely come across reports of domestic abuse in the midst of counseling someone in our congregation. In each case, each of at least the following factors should be addressed without one factor overriding or hindering another:

  • legal reporting (no exceptions -- abuse must be reported to law enforcement),

  • victim support and healing,

  • perpetrator support/rehabilitation/reconciliation to the degree this is possible

  • marriage healing (and reconciliation), for persons involved who are married, whether to each other or to someone else


Churches have tended not to develop biblically-based resources in the arena of domestic violence and abuse, and civil authorities and laws give basic mandatory actions to address abuse. Therefore the following resources are not necessarily "biblical" or "Christian" but are good directions to go when you become aware of abuse:


Domestic Abuse

Abuse against a spouse or adult domestic partner. Regarding "domestic partnerships," we know they are not God's biblical design, but in reality as we interact with folks not following Christ, we will meet people who are in such relationships, and domestic abuse can occur in any relationship whether it is a biblical one or otherwise.

Your state attorney office can answer your questions, but you as a minister should let the Hotline know:


Child Abuse (we as ministers must report suspected cases)

Child abuse may be physical, emotional, sexual, or abandonment


Human Trafficking (report suspected human trafficking to local law enforcement)

Human trafficking can be labor-related, and/or sex-related. The links below give government and civil resources. In addition, we as ministers can address this in our teaching, by highlighting biblical hiring practices, and by exposing socially-accepted but unbiblical moral practices unfit for a follower of Jesus Christ.