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Yesterday, a speaker from the local domestic violence shelter spoke to our spiritual care class. It was the second time I've heard her, and she is just wonderful. Some things to think about:

• 1 in 4 women have been subjected to domestic violence. Yes, men have been victims, too. Domestic Violence happens in same-sex relationships, as well.
• Domestic Violence is not limited to physical violence. There are others: Emotional, Sexual, Financial, Spiritual. Her stories are heartbreaking. 
• Her shelter won a grant to do presentations in the local churches. Not one of 65 churches in the city wanted a presentation. Domestic violence is a pastoral issue. If one can not learn about it in church, then where? Happening to see something on television? There is one UU church in that city.

I wrote and preached a sermon about relationships, addressing both domestic abuse and good relationship behavior. I think I should rewrite it. What started it was that male members of a church were discussing the prevalence of domestic violence at a lunch. I sat at the table as they looked around and said one of ten women could be or have been abused. Not only was their statistic incorrect, they were pretty clueless.

I kept my mouth shut, but at the same time looked around and thought, there's one, there's another, there's another, and little do they know, one is sitting right with them. Having heard the speaker prior to this conversation, I realized that she was right. If not church, then where?

Education is highly valued in UU churches. We need to educate ourselves and others in the church to recognize the signs and be willing to provide at least the Domestic Violence Hotline number: 1-800-799-SAFE.