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become an affiliated advocate

Support a Woman in Her Healing

Led by Dr. Debra Wingfield and Joy Forrest, our advocacy course offers nearly 100 hours of instruction on understanding the dynamics of coercive control through a Biblical lens. Classes cover prevention, intervention, and healing the trauma women and children experience from abuse.

As a CTPM affiliated advocate, you can additionally serve on our Church Partnership team.

Women impacted by domestic abuse are often fearful and unsure of how to proceed with the multitude of issues they face (i.e. court challenges, finances, safety, housing, parenting challenges, etc.); they may feel too overwhelmed to navigate these challenges. Called to Peace Ministries (CTPM) provides faith-based, confidential advocacy support services to women facing this complex issue.

      • Advocates assist in helping survivors by guiding them through the intricate matters they face. They connect survivors to resources and tools to help them explore their options in order to achieve the best possible outcome. Advocates further serve survivors as mentors through active listening, offering support, education, and encouragement.
      • Advocates can work with churches, counselors, and other people helpers to create a plan that will provide long-term support for survivors and their children.

    My advocate helped me through my legal proceedings, and even sat in court with me when I was afraid to go alone. It gave me the strength to speak up, knowing someone was there who understood what I had experienced, someone who knew I wasn’t crazy — someone who believed in me

    Juliette

    Survivor

    CTPM advocates aid survivors by allowing them to take the lead in their lives while equipping them to discover their strengths and voice to regain a sense of power over their life. When working together, an advocate assists the survivor through education and providing options to support the survivor’s goals and her children’s needs

    Porscha N. Green

    CTPM Advocate Coordinator

    Note: If you are still in the early stages of healing, these classes may trigger difficult emotions and memories.

    How we help counselors and people helpers

    We have several training videos that may provide guidance and/or clarity in identifying the signs of domesic abuse. In addition, we provide advocacy services to help you and your client find the best and safest path forward. Many counselors and people helpers choose to take our one-year training program to learn all they can about ways to help their clients. We have special breakout sessions at our annual retreats to help sharpen your skills in dealing with complex abuse-related issues. You can access prior retreats and conferences here.

    Why we help

    Using power and control to diminish others and to promote selfish interests stands in direct opposition to God’s heart for the weak, needy, and oppressed.

    Scripture uses the term oppression to describe such behavior and God clearly hates it (Is. 1:17, Ps. 147:7-9 Ex. 22:7). He commanded his people not to “lord it over” others (Mt. 20:25-28,1 Pet. 5:3).

    The Bible is filled with passages on God’s heart for the oppressed. In the New Testament, the religious leaders who opposed Jesus and the disciples provide us with clear examples of the abusive mindset—prideful, entitled, self-righteous, and self-promoting. Their agenda was to have more power than Jesus, and they stopped at nothing to get it. The same is true of abusive people. Therefore, we should never underestimate the potential for danger, even if the control has not yet escalated to physical injury. We should also understand the multiple impacts of all forms of abuse.

    In 1 Corinthians 13:4-8, we find that these abusive traits are the exact opposite of God’s definition of love in 1 Corinthians 13. We often ask those suffering in destructive relationships to read this passage, because it can also be a great way to help them determine whether their relationships are abusive.

     

    “Give justice to the weak and the fatherless; maintain the right of the afflicted and the destitute. Rescue the weak and the needy; deliver them from the hand of the wicked.” Psalms 82: 3-4 ESV