This resource is reprinted with permission from Diane Langberg, Ph.D. Dr. Langberg is a psychologist and the director of a group practice in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania
(http://placeofrefuge.net/). Her specialties include working with survivors of sexual abuse and clergy couples. She writes the counselor column in Today’s Christian Woman (http://www.christianitytoday.com/tcw). Dr. Langberg’s books include Counsel for Pastors’ Wives, Counseling Survivors of Sexual Abuse, and On the Threshold of Hope. She is a speaker at conferences for women, pastors and their wives, and counselors.

As I am involved in speaking at various churches and training groups to help women in crisis, I sense a growing awareness, particularly of women in leadership that the church needs to stand in the gap. Many women in our society are suffering terribly and governmental agencies are not able to meet the needs adequately. More importantly, the Body of Christ has been called by God to care for those in need. If women who are battered and abused cannot find help and comfort within that Body, where can they really expect to go? How can we expect them to truly believe that God is our refuge and strength in time of trouble, if we ourselves are absent when that trouble hits?

In an effort to give you a start if you are interested in helping women in crisis, I want to first list some general suggestions. Second, I want to give you some specific dos and don’ts for responding to women suffering from childhood sexual abuse, rape, or domestic abuse.

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