By Jim Reiher, Casey Multifaith Network
THE Casey Multifaith Network enthusiastically supports the efforts of the White Ribbon Program and CHALLENGE Family Violence Project.
We run an annual “evening together” in November, to raise awareness about violence against women. And we want people from all the different faith communities, to commit together to fight this national tragedy as it is preventable.
It is a very distressing reality that every week a woman is killed in Australia by her male partner. In fact, one in three Australian women have experienced physical violence, and nearly one in five women here have had to endure sexual violence from a male in their lifetime.
This is intolerable and has to stop.
Australians are overwhelmingly religious. Over 60 per cent still say they are Christian (at census time), and another 10 per cent belong to various other faiths. In other words seven in every 10 Australians have some kind of religious affiliation and connection.
Those of us who are members of different faith communities have to admit that violence against women is happening in our very midst.
We have for far too long pretended that our people are ‘better than that’, or that ‘it hardly ever happens in my faith community’. Or worse: we know it happens, but we turn a blind eye to it. Sometimes we allow traditions that can harm or limit women to become more important than the actual teachings of our faith. We allow a history of ‘heavy-handedness’ in our religion, to get in the way of us following the highest ideals of our faith traditions.The sad reality is that violence against women is just as prevalent in our faith communities, as it is outside of them.
Faith leaders need to rise to the challenge. Especially those faith leaders who are men (still the majority of faith leaders, it has to be admitted) – we need to do two things:
1) Set a better example in the way we personally live and the way we personally relate to women as equals; and
2) Teach and guide our communities to also live well in this regard. We must actively work towards seeing violence against women reduced and eliminated by the people in our faith communities.
We need to remind our congregations and faith communities, that to love another person does them no harm. We have to be honest and admit that sometimes, traditions and “the way it has always been” gets in the way of the highest ideals. We need to get past all that.
It is a big task, but not too big to overwhelm us. It is a just cause to work for. It is the right thing to do. Casey Multifaith Network calls on all faith communities to take up the challenge and join the campaign. Let’s live well, and teach all those within our reach, to live well together too. Let us all agree to work together to prevent violence against women.
This year’s Casey Multifaith Network White Ribbon evening will held on Thursday 20 November at the Casey Council Chambers, from 6.30pm to 8.30pm. Contact Pam on 9707 2077 to book a place.
