London, England - Catholic and Anglican clergy should remove their clerical collars while off-duty to avoid being singled out for attack, a British church safety group said Sunday.
Criminals often target clergymen because they are perceived to have money.
The stiff, white neck pieces - nicknamed "dog collars" - can also attract those bearing a "grudge against God," said Nick Tolson, who heads National Churchwatch.
"They've got to be aware that when they're on their own, they're at high risk," Tolson said. "What we're saying is that when clergy are off duty - say when they're shopping at (the supermarket) - they should slip off the dog collar and put it in their pocket."
Britain does not routinely monitor violence against clergy. But a 2001 University of London study found that seven in 10 clergy had experienced some form of violence between 1997 and 1999, and that more than one in 10 reported being assaulted, according to Tolson.
He said most assaults on clergy are committed by parishioners, but attacks by strangers could be avoided if clergy remove their collars while not on church business.
Tolson blamed dwindling church attendance for diluting the respect traditionally accorded to clergy in Britain.
"A knock on effect of this is that attacking a member of the clergy is seen by most criminals as no different to attacking a shopkeeper, robbing an old lady or any other member of society," Tolson said.
The recommendation elicited a mixed response among Christian groups.
The Church of England said it welcomed the advice but noted that church rules say "clergy should dress as clergy."
"Many would be reluctant to shed this very public sign of their ministry," the church said in a statement.
"We know that parish clergy can feel torn when it comes to balancing the desire to be visible and approachable within their community against the importance of protecting their safety and personal time."
Rev. David Houlding, a prebendary (canon) at St. Paul's Cathedral, called it a "silly, fashionable idea."
"I feel much safer wearing my dog collar when I'm walking through the streets at night. There is still an air of respect to it," he told the Daily Telegraph. "Most of the time, I wear it every day. It's my uniform."