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
Defence chaplains find space for reflection, renewal and fellowship
Defence Force Chaplains retreat 2026Finding time to pause, reflect and reconnect is important in any ministry, particularly one shaped by the demands and complexities of military life. For Uniting Church Defence Force chaplains, the annual Faith Group Spiritual Conference held at Holsworthy Barracks’ All Saints’ Chapel last week provided such an opportunity, bringing colleagues together…
New book on the life of Walter Lawry
New book on Walter Lawry, pioneer Wesleyan missionary to TongaA new book exploring the life and legacy of the first Wesleyan missionary to Tonga has been released, bringing fresh insight into an important chapter of the Uniting Church’s shared Methodist heritage and its enduring relationships with the Pacific. Walter Lawry: The First Wesleyan Missionary to…
President's pastoral message following Helen Haines attack
President’s pastoral message following attack In the aftermath of the attack on Helen Haines MP, Rev Charissa Suli has released this message and prayerAs we continue to hold Dr Helen Haines MP, her husband Phil, and their family and the Wangaratta community in our prayers, we recognise the profound suffering caused by this devastating attack…
Eight Years On: Marking the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse
Eight Years On: Remembering the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Child Sexual Abuse A liturgy and statement from President Rev Charissa Suli to mark the Anniversary of the historic statement.Eight years after the National Apology to Victims and Survivors of Institutional Child Sexual Abuse, the Uniting Church in Australia joins communities across the…
Waves of Hope: weaving new stories across Oceania
President Rev Charissa Suli has joined theologians, church leaders and practitioners from across Oceania in Fiji for the Association of Practical Theology in Oceania (APTO) Conference last week. Gathered around the theme “Waves of Hope: Storied Theology for the Whole of Life,” the Presidnet delivered an international keynote, “Building Community; Creating a New Story in…
Call for nominations for President-elect and 18th Assembly representatives
The Uniting Church in Australia is beginning an important process of discernment to identify the next President-elect of the Assembly. Ahead of the 18th Assembly, the Uniting Aboriginal and Islander Christian Congress (UAICC), Presbyteries and Synods have the privilege and opportunity to identify people who may be nominated for election as President-elect (Reg. 3.6.4.1). Nominations…
President’s Prayer for the UN International Day of Peace
President’s Prayer for the United Nations International Day of Peace The United Nations International Day of Peace, commemorated on 21 September, brings people around the world together to reflect on the urgent work of building and sustaining peace. The 2026 theme, “Invest in Peace – For Everyone, Everywhere, Every Day” highlights that peace is…
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s love
Lay Preachers gather to share in weaving Christ’s loveMore than 40 Lay Preachers, worship leaders and church members from across Australia gathered in Naarm/Melbourne from 4–6 September for the National Lay Preachers’ Conference. Hosted by the Lay Preachers’ Association of Victoria and Tasmania with Pilgrim Theological College, the triennial conference was…