Study of domestic violence help

Paper title: Transforming Domestic Violence Service Delivery: A Study of Mary Anderson Lodge
Author/researcher: Elli McGavin
Country of origin: Australia
Publication/completion date: May, 2007
Length: 104 pages
Keywords: domestic violence, The Salvation Army, internal values, culture
Abstract: This study examines the underpinning culture, service philosophy and a number of significant factors that have influenced the service delivery at The Salvation Army’s domestic violence service, Mary Anderson Lodge. The significance of research into the changing nature of The Salvation Army’s response to domestic violence is in understanding the ways in which internal values and culture interact with those of the wider community, the women’s sector, government standards and funding requirements.

Understanding how and why changes have taken place within the culture of The Salvation Army’s Mary Anderson Lodge can provide useful frameworks for further service delivery improvement.

Mary Anderson Lodge grew out of rescue and court work for women in the first half of the nineteenth century and was named after a well known Salvation Army officer who received an M.B.E. for her work, along with the Order of the Founder, the highest internal recognition in The Salvation Army.  Domestic violence was an issue closely related to the early history of this work and became an ongoing focus as the reality and the scope of the problem was understood.  Women’s temperance groups, as well as the
theological and social views of Catherine Booth, a co-founder of the movement, influenced The Salvation Army’s understanding of violence against women. Specific mention of targeted domestic violence services for women is scant in the literature of early Salvation Army history, although domestic violence has long been understood as part of Salvation Army programmes for social justice.

The methodology used for this project has been qualitative in nature with interviews of five staff members from successive time periods in the history of Mary Anderson Lodge. No clients were interviewed for this study as the focus has been on policy development instigated by staff and not the direct experience of domestic violence itself. The participants included former and current staff members and interview questions were based on staff members’ experiences of service delivery and the associated culture, policy and processes that informed the delivery of the service. Textual research has taken the form of the analysis of Salvation Army publications such as the War Cry as well as the archives from Mary Anderson Lodge including annual reports, procedure manuals and reviews that document changes in service delivery.   Research and literature relating to the wider field of domestic violence has also informed this study.

The research findings indicate that some of the important influences on the service delivery at Mary Anderson Lodge have been the same as those affecting the wider sector, such as government policy, legislation and Supported Accommodation Assistance Programme (SAAP) funding requirements. While these influences have been identified as significant, the internal culture of The Salvation Army has created challenges regarding the role of the officer (clergy) manager and the expertise required in the role at services such as Mary Anderson Lodge.  The development of clarity around the separate although complementary expertise of the officer, as operations manager, and an experienced practitioner, as programme manager, have the potential to be significant steps forward in addressing the issue.

Although the current service model bears little physical similarity to that of the early rescue homes for women more than a century ago, the commitment to social justice and the sanctity of women’s lives remain common threads. The relocation, and renaming, of the service as Mary Anderson Family Violence Service in 2006 has opened up opportunities to develop a more flexible and diverse range of responses to women experiencing domestic violence. It is hoped that the understanding and insights gained during this study will contribute to the development of present and future services for women, particularly within The Salvation Army.

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Tags: domestic violence, internal values

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