Mothers’ Union Llandaff Joins Global Campaign Against Gender-Based Violence

The Mothers’ Union in Llandaff has joined the global campaign against gender-based violence, standing in solidarity with millions worldwide to call for justice, healing, and change.

On 25 November, members of the Mothers’ Union Llandaff gathered in Caerphilly Aber Valley to mark the beginning of the international 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence. They join with more than 6,000 organisations across 185 countries in raising awareness and calling for an end to violence and abuse in all its forms.

As Christians, we are reminded of God’s call to justice:

“He has shown you, O mortal, what is good.

And what does the Lord require of you?

To act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with your God”

(Micah 6:8).

This verse speaks directly to our responsibility to protect the vulnerable and confront injustice wherever it is found.

Gender-based violence is one of the most widespread violations of human rights. According to the World Health Organisation, nearly 1 in 3 women worldwide, an estimated 840 million, have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. In the past year alone, 316 million women (11% of those aged 15 and older) were subjected to violence by an intimate partner.

This violence can take many forms, physical, emotional, sexual, economic, or digital, and is often hidden behind closed doors or embedded in harmful cultural norms. It is a crisis that affects women and girls across every continent, community, and culture.

Rev’d Emma Rees-Kenny, Diocesan Chaplain for the Mothers’ Union, shared: “If we believe that humans are made in the image of God then, surely, any harm must be an affront to God.

If we believe that humanity is made in the image of God, then we have to recognise that the dignity of all humanity is important.

If we, as followers of Jesus, feel called to reflect the love of God, the care of creation must include a love for human dignity.

The church plays an important part in recognising and responding to this complex social problem that impacts people, communities and services across our society.

She explained the impact of the Mothers' Union Campaign at a grass roots level, recalling the day someone had taken one of the helpline numbers from a poster on the back of a toilet door, saying, "The hope was that maybe just one person might find help they needed from a telephone number on a toilet door.

I don’t have the vocabulary to explain my feelings when I saw that first pull tab torn away.

Imagine, someone might have slept safer that night because of a piece of paper on the back of a toilet door."

The Mothers’ Union believes that silence around gender based violence must be broken and that domestic abuse must be brought into the light.

For those in need, help is available 24/7 through the Live Fear Free helpline: 0808 80 10 800.