Do Not Stand Idly By (Lev. 19:16)

I generally don't pass around petitions, but this one is especially important. Please take a moment to read the "National Declaration by Religious and Spiritual Leaders to Address Violence against Women," sign it, and pass it on to religious/spiritual leaders in your communities. This sign of support can be a real source of hope for victims of domestic violence and sexual assault and may be crucial to their road to safety. The Declaration will be sent to crisis centers and shelters across the United States. Victims will then be able to see if faith communities near them support them in seeking safety.

The declaration is available by clicking here.

Why do we need such a declaration? Violence against women affects each and every one of us. It's prevalence is astounding, and every community in the United States is at risk. Almost 18%, or 17.7 million women, in the United States have been victims of rape or attempted rape sometime in their lives (1). According to a study conducted by the National Victim Center, 1.3 women age 18 and over in the U.S are forcibly raped each minute; 78 per hour; 1,871 per day, or 683,000 per year (2). Nearly 5.3 million incidents of intimate partner violence occur each year among U.S. women ages 18 and older (3).

The FaithTrust Institute is an international, multi-faith organization working to end domestic violence and sexual assault. They have excellent resources and trainings for church leaders. Take some time to check out their website.

Religious leaders can be life-saving resources for victims of violence or hindrances to their journey to safety and recovery. Let us pledge to be sources of hope.

Blessings!
EMH (signer #1104)

(1)U.S. Department of Justice. Bureau of Justice Statistics. 1998. Violence Against Women Survey. Washington, D.C.
(2) Kilpatrick D.G., C.N. Edmunds, and A. Seymour. 1992. Rape in America: A Report to the Nation. Arlington, VA: National Victim Center.
(3) Tjaden P, Thoennes N. Extent, nature, and consequences of intimate partner violence: findings from the National Violence Against Women Survey. Washington (DC): Department of Justice (US); 2000a. Publication No. NCJ 181867. [cited 2005 September 15]. Available from: URL: www.ojp.usdoj.gov/nij/pubs-sum/181867.htm.)