‘Domestic abuse can be a difficult subject for the church, and I am trying to change that'

Having grown up in the church as a pastor’s daughter, Lauren Seager-Smith, CEO of The For Baby’s Sake Trust, a charity that aims to break cycles of domestic abuse and give babies the best start in life, says, ’it felt and continues to feel like marriage difficulties and harm in relationships were difficult secrets.’

It’s disheartening that I don’t recall ever hearing a sermon about domestic abuse. I remember wedding speeches calling for husbands to love their wives as Christ loved the church, but that’s all I can remember.

As a pastor’s daughter, I would be ushered upstairs because couples who needed help were coming over. This was rightly discussed in confidence and hushed tones, away from my prying eyes and ears, but it felt and continues to feel like marriage difficulties and harm in relationships were difficult secrets.