Churches must 'step up the pace' in tackling gender-based violence

Churches around the world are working to end gender-based violence but there is still more to be done, says the Anglican Communion's Women's Desk Officer.

Friday marked the start of the UN-backed initiative, Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence.

For the following 16 days, Christians are being encouraged to pray each day at 16:00 using a prayer resource put together by the World Council of Churches.

The Sixteen Days initiative takes place each year to highlight the plight of the millions of adults and children who experience violence based on their gender.

The Rev Terrie Robinson said that churches across the Anglican Communion are uniquely placed to challenge and change how society thinks about gender-based violence.

“Most are women and girls but men and boys can also be victims of gender-based violence, and stigma is attached to them by society every bit as much as it is to women,” she said.

“As well as the pain of violated bodies, minds and souls, there is the additional pain of the loneliness and isolation that is so often placed as an extra burden upon victims and survivors of gender violence. Society looks away or, even worse, scorns and blames those who have been abused.”

Mrs Robinson said the Sixteen Days initiative would give impetus for civil society, governments, individuals and, of course, churches to take the problem seriously.

"Churches are uniquely placed in our communities to speak out, challenge and change our own and others’ attitudes and behaviours," she said.

"As members of Christ’s body it’s also inherent in us that we care for the survivors of gender-based violence, helping to restore them to health and to community and letting them know of their infinite God-given worth.”

Anglican churches in Rwanda, Burundi and Congo are already working in partnership with faith leaders, governments and non-governmental agencies to end the use of sexual violence as a weapon of terror.

In the Church of North India, one diocese is running workshops for schoolgirls to give them a basic understanding of laws relating to the protection of women and an understanding of the process of law.

“These are just some of the ways in which the churches are engaging with the different issues surrounding gender violence," she said.

"There is still so much to do, still so much potential untapped, but at least we’re on the journey and now is the time to step up the pace.”

The Sixteen Days begin each year on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and ends on 10 December, Human Rights Day.