We could not talk about the place of violence in our times without coming clean on the pervasive and profound violence that women experience in every part of the globe at every time throughout human history. The world is not a safe place, and even less so for women.

November 25: International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women

A staggering one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime—a pandemic of global proportions. Unlike an illness, however, perpetrators and even entire societies choose to commit violence—and can choose to stop. Violence is not inevitable. It can be prevented. But it’s not as straightforward as eradicating a virus. There is no vaccine, medication or cure. And there is no one single reason for why it happens.

As such, prevention strategies should be holistic, with multiple interventions undertaken in parallel in order to have long-lasting and permanent effects. Many sectors, actors and stakeholders need to be engaged.

This year, at the official commemoration at UN Headquarters in New York, the first UN Framework on Preventing Violence against Women was launched…

A Good Start:

This 45 page document briefly covers a number of very helpful perspectives and suggestions for prevention. Though it says it takes an “ecological” approach, I noticed that it does not touch on one of the sacrosanct aspects of modern day feminism: it does not speak to the violence of gendercide by way of abortion or infanticide.

Though the West does not practice female gender elimination by infanticide, it remains cozy with female gendercide by abortion, since abortion can only be seen through the feminist lens of a woman’s right to chose what they do with their body (sic).

I submit that violence against women begins in the womb, and that de-selecting female children in-vitro is merely another form of violence against women – in this case – by women themselves.

Can Violence be fought with Violence?

The battle to fight violence (to be ironic) is deeply ideological & paradoxical. So much of peacemaking begins with changing our mind.

For those who claim some religious high ground, former President Jimmy Carter put it succinctly. He exhorts religious leaders to take the responsibility to teach from their scriptures in such a way as to invest dignity in women (Lord have mercy). This urging comes at a time when no one ought to be bystanders; speak up and resist those interpretations & practices that diminish dignity in anyone.

It is no small thing to reflect and repent – but this too cannot be done violently, for it is God’s kindness that leads to repentance, and we are transformed by the renewing of our minds.

May God forgive us for being squeezed into the mould of this world – and letting ourselves stay in this mould. May God give us His mind.

I submit that violence against women is an expression of violence against ourselves. Violence is the brutal reaction to savagery of the soul. It is ironic to use violence to fight violence as this merely continues in the paradigm of brutality.

Where can you start?

You can start with yourself.

You can start with how you view/treat the women closest to you – – your mother, sister, wife, daughter…

You can start with the coal vein of violence that runs through your heart, and begin to ask the One who is Peace to start excavating it.

You can start with forgiving yourself – if you can – though I suspect you first have to go to the One from whom you must receive it.

You can go to the One who is Peace – who offers peace as the expression of His nature.

Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.

I suspect that if you cannot dignify a person who is different from you, then you probably need dignity yourself; how can you give that which you do not possess?

May I beckon you to the Author of Dignity – the One who made you for Himself.