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Pope: Violence against women is blasphemy against God


Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Photo by Ben White on Unsplash

Source: Vatican News

Today is International Day to End Violence against Women. On many occasions, Pope Francis has stated that our level of humanity is measured by how we treat women. In his 2020 New Year homily, Pope Francis said:"Every form of violence inflicted upon a woman is a blasphemy against God, who was born of a woman.."

"The rebirth of humanity began from a woman…"Women are sources of life. Yet they are continually insulted, beaten, raped, forced to prostitute themselves and to suppress the life they bear in the womb."

"How often are women's bodies sacrificed on the profane altars of advertising, of profiteering, of pornography, exploited like a canvas to be used," he continued. "Yet women's bodies must be freed from consumerism; they must be respected and honoured. Theirs is the most noble flesh in the world, for it conceived and brought to light the love that has saved us!"

"In our day, too, motherhood is demeaned, because the only growth that interests us is economic growth," the Pope said. "There are mothers who risk difficult journeys desperately seeking to give a better future to the fruit of their womb, yet are deemed redundant by people with full stomachs but hearts empty of love..... And if we want a better world, a world that will be a peaceful home and not a war field, may we take to heart the dignity of each woman," he said. "From a woman was born the Prince of peace."

"Women are givers and mediators of peace and should be fully included in decision-making processes," he said. "Because when women can share their gifts, the world finds itself more united, more peaceful. Hence, every step forward for women is a step forward for humanity as a whole."

The International Day to End Violence against Women has been observed annually on 25 November since 1981. This date was selected to honour the Mirabal sisters, three political activists from the Dominican Republic who were brutally murdered in 1960 by order of the country's ruler, Rafael Trujillo.

UN statistics show that on average, a woman or girl is killed by someone in her own family every 11 minutes. Since the outbreak of COVID-19, emerging data and reports from those on the front lines, have shown that all types of violence against women and girls, particularly domestic violence, have intensified.

LINKS

Watch a short film released today by Vatican Media: www.youtube.com/watch?v=6dBbzVY1A40

Read Pope Francis' homily text from 1.1.2020: www.vatican.va/content/francesco/en/homilies/2020/documents/papa-francesco_20200101_omelia-madredidio-pace.html

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