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GIVE THE GIFT OF LIGHT THIS Did you know that over 60% of women |
Every woman in every country has the right to be safe from violence and abuse. In Australia, however, around one woman a week is killed by a partner or ex-partner. Violence against women and children costs the economy $13.6 billion a year one in three women have experienced violence from a partner or ex-partner. In Solomon Islands, it is almost two in three, and a recent study has found 64% of women aged between 15 and 49 have been physically and/or sexually abused. Women in Solomon Islands are experiencing some of the highest rates of violence in the world.
The Anglican Diocese of Melbourne recently voted unanimously to adopt a policy to prevent violence against women. Anglicord has always been an advocate of women’s rights, so it made sense for us to address the situation at home too, and Anglicord was involved in the development of this policy.
In an exciting development, the Anglican Church in Solomon Islands, Vanuatu and New Caledonia in their November Synod passed a resolution adopting a statement condemning Family Violence and the establishment of a committee which will over the next three years look at how the Church can address this issue and prevent this violence from happening in the first place.