When Prayers Are Not Enough: Religion, Gender and Family Violence Workshop
Atelier When Prayers Are Not Enough: Religion, Gender and Family Violence

Religion and Diversity Project Team Member Nancy Nason-Clark and Research Associate Cathy Holtmann have a workshop entitled “When Prayers Are Not Enough: Religion, Gender and Family Violence.”  On September 13-14, 2016, scholars and practitioners came together at the Muriel McQueen Fergusson Centre for Family Violence Research at the University of New Brunswick in Fredericton for a workshop focused on issues arising at the intersection of religion, gender and family violence. The first day included a professional development session for social workers involved in field supervision with the School of Social Work at St. Thomas University on incorporating religion into public service delivery. Team Member Pascale Fournier delivered the public keynote address and shared insights from her research on Jewish and Muslim women’s experiences of religious divorce in Western nations. The second day included paper presentations on topics ranging from how Christian congregations respond to family violence to young Muslim women’s experiences of family violence to get-refusal and Jewish domestic violence. Team Member Susan J. Palmer presented on allegations of abuse aimed at “cult leaders”. Student team member, Yael C.B. Machtinger, presented a paper titled: "In the Name of God? Investigating an Overlooked Aspect of Get (Jewish Divorce) Refusal", which was based on primary research featuring Jewish women's narratives exploring the effects of legal regulation on social norms regarding Get refusal in New York and Toronto.

In addition to funding for the workshop from the Religion and Diversity Project, Cathy and Nancy have been successful in procuring a SSHRC Connection grant as well as financial support from the University of New Brunswick.