TAMAR (Towards A More Appropriate Response), a group of women supporting victims of sexual abuse in the church and encouraging reform, has dissolved after 12 years of advocacy.
"The aim was always to raise awareness and help the church to deal with abuse, particularly sexual abuse in the church when it happened, and also to prevent abuse," says TAMAR chairperson Faye Hansen.
"We are now seeing that those things are happening."
Since its inception in the mid-nineties, TAMAR has contributed to reforms such as the development of the Professional Standards Unit, the appointment of Jenni Woodhouse as chaplain for the PSU, the formulation of the Faithfulness in Service code, Safe Ministry Training, and training for candidates before and after ordination.
Also included are parish recovery teams, which Ms Hansen says "have taken on a really important role in helping churches and victims to recover from abuse by church workers".
Professional Standards Unit director Philip Gerber says TAMAR has been a "barometer" of the diocese's efforts to address abuse in churches.
"These Christian women - survivors of abuse - were significant over recent decades in prophetically calling the Anglican Diocese of Sydney to account for abuse within the Church," says Mr Gerber.
"The responses, practices and procedures which they called for and recommended have now occurred, in no small part because of their advocacy. On behalf of the Diocese I want to honour them, acknowledge that the Church is in their debt and give thanks to God for their courage and persistence."
