Restored - Ending Violence Against Women

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In the UK, 167 women are raped every day. Women who are murdered by a partner or former partner number two per week in the UK, three per day in the USA, and one per hour in Russia.

  • Violence against women is the most common but least punished crime in the world.
  • Globally, women between the age of fifteen and forty-four are more likely to be maimed or die as a result of male violence than through cancer, malaria, traffic accidents or war combined.
  • At least one out of every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or otherwise abused in her lifetime. Usually, the abuser is a member of her own family or someone known to her. Domestic violence is the largest form of abuse of women worldwide, irrespective of region, culture, ethnicity, education, class and religion.
  • Systematic rape is used as a weapon of terror in many of the world's conflicts. It is estimated that between 250,000 and 500,000 women in Rwanda were raped during the 1994 genocide.
  • Studies show the increasing links between violence against women and HIV and demonstrate that HIV-infected women are more likely to have experienced violence, and that victims of violence are at higher risk of HIV infection. 

    • Figures taken from: Secretary-General's in-depth study on violence against women (2006) (A/61/122/Add.1)

    Various Christian organisations are involved in responding to VAW.  But very little is being done by the church to prevent VAW.  Church leaders are not speaking out about the issue. Our discussions about gender and sexuality are often seen to be negative and inwardly focused. The primary response to VAW has been from feminist and human rights organisations who stress women's empowerment.  We recognise and respect their efforts over many years to protect and support women.  But we believe that there are two big gaps – firstly in terms of a co-ordinated Christian response based on a model of restored relationships, and secondly in terms of men, and particularly men within the church, taking responsibility and playing their part to prevent VAW.

    We have therefore established Restored; a international Christian alliance to transform relationships and end violence against women.  We believe that Christian churches have huge potential to help prevent violence, but also need to change their own attitudes and practice. Our specific focus is on the prevention of domestic violence and sexual violence against women and girls.