Take Action to Remember Victims of Abuse and Violence

Globally, every 11 minutes a woman or girl dies at the hands of an intimate partner or family member. (1)

The Christian Network to End Domestic Violence (CNEDA) is calling all churches and Christian groups to stand with survivors of domestic abuse around November 25th’s “International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women.” The goal of this action is to individually and collectively speak out for the women who have lost their lives to violence. 

“Sometimes, we can get overwhelmed by the statistics about violence and forget that it might be someone we know who has suffered,” says CNEDA Director, Amanda Jackson. “But there is action we can take to raise awareness and promote healthy relationships.” CNEDA has organised a simple but effective action around November 25th that is appropriate for each individual’s country, community, and/or church. The action is called “The Red Chair Project,” adapted from a very successful campaign in French evangelical churches called Une place pour Elles (https://www.uneplacepourelles.fr/).

This action involves reserving a chair at a public place with a sign highlighting facts about domestic violence. The empty chair will also serve as a visual symbol of the lives lost to gender-based violence.

Each month in the lead-up to November, members of CNEDA are praying about different aspects of violence. You can join this prayer initiative by contacting [email protected]

Katie Patchell, the campaign organiser for the red chair project says, “One of the best parts of this project is how adaptable it is to each person’s context. Whether you do the red chair idea at your local gym, partner with your church or organization leaders to create a new charter, or plan special prayers or sermons for November, you’ll be able to find encouragement and insight from other global leaders to do something truly remarkable this Autumn. If you’ve ever felt the desire to speak up about domestic violence within the Church and your community, perhaps now is the ‘Esther 4:14’ time!”

If you would like to stand against domestic violence and join this action, or access prayer and preaching materials, contact Katie Patchell at [email protected]