Sanctuary: Hope and Help for Victims of Domestic Abuse

by Sydney Millage

Oppressed, hurting women continue to look for help and safety, but there is a disconnection between their need and provision. Women are seeking help. Church leaders, many of whom are volunteers, want to help. Individuals are concerned. Why, then, are women failing to find help in local churches? What prevents our churches from effectively helping women who are abused by their husbands? The missing piece is an understanding of domestic abuse and how to apply the good news of Jesus, His Word and character to what has remained unseen, unknown, and misunderstood. "ƒ‚‚]ƒ‚‚€ƒ‚‚](Sydney Millage has) provided comprehensive hope and help for victims of domestic abuse, counselors and friends who come alongside them, and churches striving to shepherd members righteously and compassionately." Dr. Brent Aucoin, President of Faith Bible Seminary, Pastor and Counselor at Faith Church in Lafayette, IN

224 pages, Paperback

Published September 14, 2018

Reviews

[Katherine Meyer]

I wanted to like this book. As an abuse survivor, I hoped it would be a bool that could be helpful for abuse victims. But there is very little practical help, and even less if your church is not willing to help (as is most often the case). There also was a lot of conflicting information. In one chapter it said if there was physical violence, you should call your pastor and church leaders, in another chapter it said to call law enforcement. It said in some places that you shouldn't stay if you were in danger, but there was chapter after chapter about how to live with suffering and abuse. This book was confusing at best, harmful at worst.

[Rebekah Schrepfer]

I liked this book. Sydney Millage gives a comprehensive view of the heart of a victim of abuse. For those who aren’t sure if what you are experiencing is abuse, this book is what you need to read! For those who are in healthy relationships, this is a great book to give you the whole lay of the land when it comes to spiritually helping people in abusive situations.

The book is front loaded with truths about the heart attitudes and spiritual health of the victim. It is not until chapter 14 that there is practical help for escaping truly abusive situations. That might be a difficult setup for someone in that situation. So in that sense, the book is designed to build up a victim’s spiritual fortitude in the midst of verbal abuse and mild forms of abuse. It is also made to help that person recognize when to go get immediate help.

There were several places that I would have stated things differently, but she comes around to what I agree with in the end. For instance, some statements made me cringe, and they are similar to other statements I have seen in many counseling resources. She says a couple of times, “Most biblical counselors, pastors, and lay leaders are well-versed in Scripture, but few have knowledge about how to help domestic abuse victims.” This makes it sound like a pastor is not a good place to go for help, because their knowledge of the Bible isn’t enough to help a victim. Also, I’m not sure I would agree with that wording if I’m also to affirm that the Bible alone is my sole authority for faith and practice. It’s not the Bible + counseling techniques. So her way of communication seems to be to go the long way around the barn to get to the door, but that is a small criticism, really.

The book is Scripture-centered and deals with the heart of the issue of domestic abuse. I highly recommend it.

Read more of my book reviews at MostlySensible.com.