Taking a Stand: A Phenomenological Study of Black Christian Pastors' Experiences of Domestic Violence/Intimate Partner Violence in the Church & Community

The purpose of this phenomenological study is to describe black pastors’ lived experiences of counseling and/or ministering to female victims (congregants & non-congregants) and survivors of Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) in Texas. These acts of violation against women occur at staggering rates worldwide, often leaving the victims and survivors with damages and issues they dare trust to share with a spiritual figure. In many communities, the Black Christian pastor is often the person these wounded women seek as their counselor, spiritual guide, and safe place, despite the pastor’s lack of education and/or training in IPV. Research indicates that these women often receive misguided information and instructions which yields them to additional danger. The problem is a lack of research and understanding about how Intimate Partner Violence training is affecting black pastors in their counseling the victims, and survivors. Following the theme of the epistemological assumption, the black Christian pastors have knowledge of their training and of the subject. This phenomenological study obtained data by interviewing 6 Black Christian pastors from the DFW area, within the age range of 30-65, who have been in pastoral ministry for at least five years and who have counseled and ministered to victims of Domestic and/or Intimate Partner Violence. Information was analyzed by the conceptual mapping task (Impellizzeri et al., 2017).