In Inter-America, Church’s enditnow Anti-violence Initiative Set for August 28

As the anti-abuse initiative, enditnow—Adventist Say No to Violence—is set to take place throughout the Seventh-day Adventist Church around the world on August 28, 2021. Congregations across the Inter-American Division [IAD] territory are getting ready to call on all their members and friends in the community to be advocates in the effort to end violence against men, women, and children.

The Adventist Church’s annual day of emphasis is intended to bring awareness to the issues of domestic violence, sexual abuse, and other forms of mistreatment.

“Violence is a serious problem today, and aside from it being a violation of human rights, it affects many homes in the different countries in our [IAD] territory,” said Edith de Espinoza, Women’s Ministries and Children’s and Adolescent Ministries director for the church in Inter-America. “As a church, it is important to take a stand against violence, for we know that there are many situations of violence in our churches, and we want to help heal those wounds, too.”

The statistics on violence across countries are alarming, de Espinoza said. In just the first few months of the year, more than 15,000 complaints of violence between family members were reported in Colombia. In El Salvador, from January to May, there were 71,000 femicides and 441 calls related to violence within the family, she said.

Panama saw over 12,000 cases of domestic violence in 2020, and so far this year, the number has surpassed 11,000, de Espinoza added. In Jamaica, one in four women experiences intimate partner violence or sexual violence, and one in three experiences emotional abuse. Elsewhere in the Caribbean, the United Nations reported one in three women in the Caribbean will experience domestic violence.

In Mexico, gender violence is pervasive across the nation, according to Mexico’s National Institute of Statistics and Geography. Statistics show more than half of all women have been victims of violence by men. Of the 46.5 million women over 15 years old, 66 percent have faced emotional, physical, sexual, or economic violence in their lives, and many more have been abused.

“Ecatepec, which is in Mexico City, is considered number one in femicides in the world,” said de Espinoza. “The numbers are very alarming, and as a church, as a Women’s Ministries department, we want to go the extra mile to not only spend a month creating more awareness against violence, but have ongoing activities that can foster the care of women and children.”

Throughout the churches in Inter-America, many members will be marching against violence, wherever possible with the social distancing guidelines, but most will be engaging in promoting awareness through social media platforms, according to de Espinoza.

In Central America, a special magazine will be distributed that calls for the ending of domestic violence. In addition, radio programs will be featuring doctors, lawyers, psychologists, and health professionals highlighting the enditnow event.

A special Sabbath morning enditnow program will be featured throughout IAD churches: Bringing Peace Home—Addressing Youth Violence at the Roots; that will followed by two seminars on pornography addiction among young people and partners in the home. In addition, video spots on EnditNow have been created this year to be shared on social media networks in English, Spanish, and French.

“Women’s Ministries leaders all across the 24 unions are ready to continue making a difference this year with the resources available in sharing ‘no more violence, enditnow,’” said de Espinoza.

The enditnow initiative should not only be highlighted once a year but a permanent attitude of protecting women, children, and even men from violence, she added. “We know that changes are progressive, but it all starts with wanting to make a change.”

To download enditnow resources in English, Spanish, and French, click HERE

https://www.interamerica.org/event/dia-de-enditnow/ 

This article was originally published on the Inter-American Division’s website