Apathy and hush tones regarding matters of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) within the family; the church and other institutions in the society only encourage violence against women and children. A combination of the spiritual, legal, psychological, and health support goes a long way in aiding the holistic healing of a violated survivor.
‘Faith’ is well placed to cause positive changes in any society, due to its ability to reach a varying spectrum of people, that is, the young and the old. According to UNIFEM, “…religious institutions … play key roles in gender socialization, and can act as agents of transformation…. In religious institutions, spiritual leaders can act as role models who value compassion and community building over more constraining gender roles.”
Faith-based organizations and places of worship are increasingly becoming places of solace. According to Amnesty International, “for countless women home is not a refuge but a place of terror.” In this respect the church has become a place of refuge and a place of healing. However, the church has kept silent about gender-based violence. Yet some members of the congregation are victims of violence who may be hurting and in need of support. Places of worship need to create an atmosphere of openness and acceptance, as people need a place where they can be comfortable in sharing their pain. The openness of this can only be achieved if the leaders will break the silence against gender-based violence.
A pastor in Hennepin Avenue United Methodist Church says, “I find that if I include in a pastoral prayer; a prayer for survivors of sexual abuse and incest…the next week I have probably three or four people coming into my office to share their story, to tell how affirmed they are, that we recognize that they exist and that we walk through the pain with them”, (Jan Pettit).
The silence and apathy towards gender based violence has largely been caused by the fact that many religious leaders are ignorant about where to send the survivors who may share their experience with them for further assistance either legally, in matters of health or otherwise. Yet, these are essential services that a woman or a child who has undergone any form of violence needs to ensure that holistic healing has takes place.
This is then forms the basis of the Tamar Campaign facilitated by Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA). The campaign acknowledges the existence of Gender-Based Violence in the society, with particular focus on sexual and domestic violence and seeks to challenge and equip the Church to break the silence around this vice. Breaking the silence around gender based violence, then breaks the cycle of violence and reduces incidences of violence. Therefore, the Tamar Campaign is the bridge linking the churches with the advocates of gender-based violence issues. In addition to this, Tamar Campaign aims at being a resource center for the church leaders equipping them to handle the topic on gender based violence Biblically.
About Tamar Campaign
The Tamar Campaign acknowledges that, “…to adequately respond to the needs of battered women and rape survivors, it is imperative that the clergy learn about violence against women and reach out to secular advocates and services. Likewise, it is imperative that the secular advocates and counselors appreciate the importance of women’s religious backgrounds and reach out to clergy and religious groups to find resources to meet the needs of victims” (Rev. Fortune and Enger, 2005).
The Campaign was launched in 2005 February, when it became increasingly evident that FECCLAHA could not continue to work in the area of peace building in the Great Lakes and the Horn of Africa without seeking to address more specifically Gender-Based Violence (GBV). This was an issue that was gravely affecting a huge portion of the population, mainly women and children in this region. Tamar Campaign in Kenya adopted the model from Ujamaa Center in South Africa where contextual Bible Study/theological reflection has been adopted as a methodology of dealing with gender based violence. FECCLAHA in collaboration with St. Paul’s United Theological College and World Council of Churches (WCC) then launched the Tamar Campaign. The Campaign’s vision is a continent, free from sexual and domestic violence, in which men and women relate as equal partners made in God’s image. In addition, the Campaign’s mission is to demonstrate God’s compassion and justice to women and children who suffer indignity and violation through sexual and domestic violence.
What makes the Tamar Campaign faith-based is use of the scriptures; the guiding principles of the faith to react to the high numbers of human rights violations experienced. The Tamar Campaign is developed from a story in the Bible of the incestuous rape of Tamar (2 Samuel 13:1-22), the text is a hair-rising narrative that describes only too accurately much of the dynamics of sexual violence experienced by women across the world. This is not only a text about gender violence; it is also a text about the failure of family and governmental structures to protect women and about the effects of gender violence on other aspects of life. An issue that stands out in the story of Tamar is silence of the survivor and the impunity…. The survivor is denied justice by the systems that be – this same pattern is replicated in many conflict, post-conflict and even countries in peaceful situations.
Churches and faith based organizations comprehensively addressing GBV will publicly speak out against GBV and engage governments in combating GBV, they will put in place polices against GBV and other forms of violence, develop programs with a GBV focus and make the link between GBV & HIV and AIDS within these programs. The use of scripture to address issues of GBV and particularly the incestuous rape of Tamar enables readers to engage with issues such as the silencing of women who have been raped, the cultural determinants of sexual violence within communities and the impunity that surrounds sexual violence. The Tamar narrative also helps participants to study African cultures and religion alongside the Bible which have been used negatively but if well articulated have liberating messages just like the Bible.
The Church and indeed the religious institutions are uniquely placed to play a decisive role in the prevention and elimination of the different forms of violence against women and children. They have the clout and the capacity to minister to the needs of those who have been abused as well as those who are perpetrators. The Church and these other religious institutions can provide opportunities for healing of the victims for example by providing emotional and spiritual support, counseling and shelter. This would complement the efforts of hospitals, civil society organizations and the police. They can also provide sanctions and deterrent measures for perpetrators for example by holding them accountable for their deeds. The faith institutions can play a pro-active role through its preaching and teaching about the evil of Gender-Based violence, thereby setting standards for societal values that protect the well-being of women and children.
The write-up is based on Judy Waruhiu (FECCLAHA)’s presentation during the IFAPA Eastern Africa Women workshop in Nairobi. Fellowship of Christian Councils and Churches in the Great Lakes and Horn of Africa (FECCLAHA) is one of IFAPA’s partners and gender-based violence is a shared concern within the two organizations and they both, in different ways, continue to sensitize the religious leadership to make use of the opportunities they have to address this vice which affects members of their constituencies. All over Africa gender-based violence remains a challenge and IFAPA is ready to work with willing partners to help curb the vice. Already some of the IFAPA network members such as Rev. Boissa and Mama Marie Francoise Lutala in DRC continue to take care of affected women and girls. The IFAPA Women Desk invites willing partners to work together on projects to address this challenge which is a big problem for women in Africa today.
