Aruna Gnanadason

Violence against women happens in every country, age group and sector of society. Besides physical violence, it takes subtler form in psychological and emotional demeaning of women. Its extent is seldom acknowledged: its victims are often afraid or embarrassed to speak out - or silenced and discredited if they do. Churches too have turned a blind eye to its presence in their own institutional life, sometimes even condoning it. Few are ready to ask how their own structures may perpetuate abuse of power and keep women insecure and fearful.

The Church and Violence Against Women

No Longer a Secret

Musimbi R. A. Kanyoro

Lucia Ann McSpadden

Amidst conflict situations all around our increasingly violent world-ranging from wars between nations to abuse of women and children within the home-women are making effective, courageous, and often creative nonviolent responses. Yet little attention has been given to the specific contributions of women to conflict resolution. This book helps to fill that gap. After three analytical essays, women from thirteen countries around the world present case studies of how women's groups are confronting violence in their contexts. What they have in common is that all grow out of an awareness of the interlinkages of various forms of violence, an emphasis on practical action, and an insistence on nonviolence as the only appropriate and workable means of responding to violence. At the time of the first printing of the book the three editors were staff members of the three organizations responsible for the study on women and nonviolence, from which this book emerged, namely Aruna Gnanadason (World Council of Churches), Musimbi Kanyoro (Lutheran World Federation), and Lucia Ann McSpadden (Life & Peace Institute). The focal goal of the study was to stimulate networking between scholars and women practitioners and to enhance the efficiency of a nonviolent struggle for human rights.

Aruna Gnanadason

About

Books

Join the club