A breakthrough court ruling has found Argentinian archbishop Mario Cargnello and three Catholic officials guilty of gender abuse. All four must undergo psychological treatment and training in gender discrimination, Judge Carolina Cáceres decreed. Cáceres’s breakthrough ruling found the accused had abused 20 cloistered of Discalced Carmelite nuns for over twenty years. Although the archbishop and Read more
“Hurt” people hurt people. Those who have been hurt or broken in life often respond by striking out and hurting or harming the people who are near them. Many abusers are victims of abuse. Many bullies are victims of bullying. These pain patterns get passed on generation after generation. Elisha is Jeered … Elisha went Read more
The Pacific Conference of Churches admits there has been a lack of urgency by the church in addressing gender-based violence in the region. Its general-secretary James Bhagwan said they have also been complicit. He said a monitoring system is being planned in which faith communities will be held accountable to the commitments they make to Read more
Samoa’s Ombudsman,Maiava Iulia Toma has announced there will be a national enquiry into violence in Samoa. He said village councils and the churches have to be brought into the act and an enquiry would help expose weaknesses in the system. Toma was speaking at a major gathering for Commonwealth Women’s Affairs Ministers in Apia. “We Read more
Nearly 100 chiefs and church ministers in Vanuatu have committed to ending domestic violence within their own families. They have recently taken part in one of three Channels of Hope workshops organised by World Vision. The workshops were designed to provide skills to leaders of the different sectors of the society to help them in Read more
Family violence cannot be addressed without taking due consideration of the gender inequalities faced by women and girls in the Solomon Islands says Ethel Sigimanu. She is Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Women, Youth, Children and Family Affairs. Sigimanu was speaking at the opening of World Vision’s three day Channels of Hope for Gender, Church Read more
Interactive Bible studies in Fiji are helping to break the silence over gender violence. The House of Sarah, part of the Anglican Diocese of Polynesia, is running workshops looking at how scripture can help end violence against women. House of Sarah’s gender specialist, Tupou Vere, says they’ve found the workshops a useful way to discuss Read more
The director of the Christian Care Centre, Ruth Hope, says more than 500 women, girls and children are under their care, the highest ever recorded at the centre. The Christian Care centre in the Solomon Islands is run by a handful of Anglican nuns, one of whom doubles as a nurse. The Christian Care Centre Read more
A Northland anti-domestic violence campaigner says, in the lead up to Christmas, White Ribbon Day is a perfect time to encourage people to stand up to domestic violence. Phil Paikea, champion for the It’s Not OK campaign, said the Christmas/New Year period is the worst time of the year for domestic violence. “I’d like to Read more
The Anglican Church of Melanesia runs the only domestic violence refuge in the Solomon Islands. It is run by a handful of nuns, one of whom doubles as a nurse. The Christian Care Centre was established without Government support in 2000. Now working with the backing of World Vision, they take in women and children Read more