Speaking out on Gendered Violence
Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli recently spoke with ABC Radio on churches’ role in confronting gendered violence and promoting safety, dignity and compassion
March 22, 2026
Subscribe to our newsletter
If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter delivered to your inbox.
The reality that churches are called to be places of safety and sanctuary sits in painful tension with the truth that they have also been sites of harm. This was the focus of a recent ABC Radio Soul Search conversation featuring Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli and Rev Associate Professor Robyn Whitaker, Director of The Wesley Centre in Melbourne. Together, they explored how theology, culture and silence can contribute to gendered violence – and how churches can be part of the solution.
Gendered violence remains a crisis across Australian society, with one in four women experiencing violence by an intimate partner. While research into church contexts is limited, available evidence suggests rates are similar, if not higher.
President Rev Suli offered a clear and compelling vision for how the church must respond: with courage, honesty and compassion for those who suffer.
“For me, the topic around violence against women is really important because we’re talking about human lives … I recognise that there are other genders who experience domestic and family violence [too],” Rev Suli said. “It’s not just a moral issue for me, it’s a theological issue, and ensuring that the dignity of people is upheld in the way that we care for people, whether it be in the church or in wider society.”
“We must be part of the solution,” she said. “I believe churches can shape moral imagination. We preach about love, we preach about marriage, leadership, forgiveness, and authority … those teachings, I believe, form how people understand relationships.”
Click here to listen to the full Soul Search interview on ABC Radio.
More news from the President
Listening to the household of God
Listening to the Household of God Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli has written this reflection from Fiji on the Pacific Church’s witness – and the call to listen, be changed and walk together Written by Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia Last week, I had the privilege of gathering…
Easter Madness 2026: A place to belong
Easter Madness 2026: A place to belong At Easter Madness 2026, young people from across Queensland gathered to explore belonging through worship, community, and transformative encounters with God Earlier this month, around 170 young people gathered for four vibrant days at Easter Madness 2026, a Uniting Church youth event held on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.…
Remembering the Armenian Genocide
Remembering the 111th anniversary of the Armenian Genocide mm Friday 24 April marks 111 years since the start of the Armenian Genocide in the Ottoman Empire, where authorities carried out the systematic destruction of Armenian Christians resulting in the devastating deaths of approximately 1.5 million people between 1915 and 1923. This year is also 11…
Re-grounding the Household: Returning to our Story in Christ
Re-grounding the Household: Returning to Our Story in Christ Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli spoke at the opening session of Day 2 of the Pacific Church Leaders’ Meeting in Fiji, challenging delegates to be re-grounded in Christ As Day 2 of the Pacific Church Leaders’ Meeting gathered momentum in Suva, Fiji earlier today,…
President’s Easter Message 2026
Peace BeWith You Easter messages from the President and Moderators of the Uniting Church in Australia In a world that can feel loud, anxious, and divided, Easter arrives with a quiet but powerful word: peace. This Easter, Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia, offers a message drawn from the heart…
ABC interview: Speaking out on Gendered Violence
Speaking out on Gendered Violence Uniting Church President Rev Charissa Suli recently spoke with ABC Radio on churches’ role in confronting gendered violence and promoting safety, dignity and compassion Subscribe to our newsletter If you want to get the latest news from the Uniting Church in Australia then subscribe to our weekly newsletter…
President reflects on Gendered Violence Conference
Gendered Violence Conference: Restoring what has been bent The President offers this pastoral reflection following The Wesley Centre Theology and Culture Conference on the topic of Gendered Violence By Rev Charissa Suli, President of the Uniting Church in Australia Last month, I attended the Gendered Violence Conference hosted by Rev Associate Professor Robyn Whitaker,…
UCA President urges political leaders to back peace and immediate ceasefire
Middle East conflict: UCA President urges Political Leaders to back peace and immediate ceasefire President of the Uniting Church in Australia, Rev Charissa Suli, has written to the Prime Minister, the Leader of the Opposition, the Leader of the Australian Greens and other Australian political party leaders, urging multi-partisan support for the Australian Government to…