Speak out on sexual violence in Malawi

A new, short film of Theresa’s work with churches in Malawi will be shown at the event, which implores church leaders and individuals to make a stronger commitment to tackling violence against women by working with governments and communities. The film paints a painfully honest picture of the situation for women in the country, and urges the church to be a “threat to injustice”.

The film looks at the story of a survivor of sexual violence, Malawian mother, Rose. When she was three months pregnant, a man with a knife approached her and her husband outside their home. The man took Rose and sexually attacked her, subsequently leaving her and her unborn son HIV-positive.

Sexual violence exists in all societies as well as being endemic in a number of countries worldwide. In 2004, 55% of women in Malawi said that they had been raped or forced into sex.

Please share this powerful film with your communities, and encourage them to sign the We Will Speak Out pledge to help end sexual violence all over the world. www.wewillspeakout.org

Tearfund and the We Will Speak Out coalition are running a side event at the Faith and Aids pre-conference in Washington. The event, on the 20th July, will look at how faith communities are responding to sexual violence. To join the conversation during the Faith and Aids pre-conference on Twitter, follow the hashtag #iacfaith and #aids2012

Last year Tearfund launched a report called Silent No More with the Archbishop of Canterbury, the Archbishop of Congo and the Archbishop of Burundi, which looked at the untapped potential of the worldwide church in addressing sexual violence. Read the report here.