World Vision and the local Anglican Church, the Church of Melanesia, are working to get to grips with the issue of domestic violence in the Solomon Islands.

Koisau Sade is a Gender Advisor working with World Vision in the Solomons. She said that two thirds of females "have experienced physical violence or sexual violence or both at some stage in their lifetime from an intimate partner".

World Vision is supporting the only women's shelter in the Solomons. It is run by Sister Doreen from the Church of Melanesia.

Sister Doreen says that some of the women at the shelter have suffered from sexual abuse from when they were as young as 8. "So you can imagine the trauma they have been through. But coming here they have slowly come back to normal because we were able to listen to them. And this is a safe place away from violence", she says.

With the support of World Vision the Church of Melanesia is making use of the New Testament to fight against violence in the home in a country where 95% of the population is Christian. The program being run is called Channels of Hope.

Tim Costello is the head of World Vision Australia. He was recently at a workshop in Honiara with the Church of Melanesia's Archbishop David Vanag, leader of the Church of Melanesia, and eight of his bishops.

Costello said that "up to 65 per cent of women reporting violence from intimate personal relationships ... is a major issue. And it's a major issue of addressing the culture that says, you know, "The boss man can discipline his wife even by beating her". "

Archbishop Vanagi said that "in our mission we try to look after the victims of domestic violence. That's why we have this Christian Care Centre".

He went on to say that in country areas women and children who are victims of domestic violence tend to suffer in silence. "They feel that if they come out with what they experience, then probably they'll be intimidated. So the church here in Solomon Islands, we have a structure from here in Honiara down to the villages. So we must use that structure to get this message down to the people", he said. Read more

Sources

• ABC Australia
• Image: The Anglican Church of Melanesia

Michael Ben-Ari, along with the other 119 members of the Israeli Knesset, had been sent a New Testament by the Bible Society of Israel.

In a covering letter, the society said: "We are happy to grant you this book of the testaments that casts light on holy writing and helps you understand … to see the link between Biblical writings and the New Testament."

Many members of the Knesset were annoyed to find the Christian book in their mail boxes and decided to ignore it or return it to the Bible Society. But Ben-Ari tore up the New Testament and chose to be photographed doing so.

"There is no doubt that this book and all it represents belongs in the garbage can of history," he declared.

It was not the first inflammatory act by Ben-Ari, a member of a right-wing Jewish party who lives in an Israeli settlement in the occupied West Bank. On Pope Benedict's 2009 visit to Israel, he said: "Giving the Pope a state welcome would mean turning one's back on the millions of Jews who were killed throughout the history of Christianity."

Ben-Ari's action was condemned by the Speaker of the Knesset, Reuven Rivlin, and by government spokesman Mark Regev, who said it "stands in complete contrast to our values and our traditions".

The Knesset's sole Christian member, Hanna Sweid, described Ben-Ari's action as "an apocalyptic act of hatred". He complained to the Knesset ethics committee, but doubted it would censure Ben-Ari effectively.

Latin Patriarchal Vicar Bishop Boulos Marcuzzo said "all Christian communities are scandalised by this action". He called it "a provocation to all Christian communities in Israel, the Middle East, and around the world".

Sources:

Jerusalem Post

Vatican Insider

Image: Five Towns Jewish Times