“Our backs tell stories no books have the spine to carry.” – Rupi Kaur
Divine Mother, our world is filled with great sorrow. The tragedy of violence against women across continents is alarming, and yet, it continues to increase in volume. Heal us, protect us, and inspire us to demand change. Thank you for the lives of these courageous women whose actions are changing the world. Amen.
Svetlana Anokhina, Russia, has spent years helping victims of domestic violence escape from Russia’s North Caucasus, a Muslim-majority region straddling Eastern Europe and Asia. Along with other volunteers, she founded the Marem project in 2020. The initiative helps women at risk organize evacuations and find temporary accommodation, as well as providing them with legal and psychological support.
Tracy Otto, USA, was left paralyzed from the chest down and lost her left eye after her ex-boyfriend attacked her in her home. In 2024, Tracy competed in her first Paralympic Games in the archery category. Due to her disabilities, she uses her mouth to release arrows. Tracy also uses her life experience as an advocate for survivors of domestic violence.
Maheder Haileselassie, Ethiopia, documents how severe drought has pushed families in her country to give their daughters up to child marriage. Her work, Between Yesterday and Tomorrow, won her the 2023 Contemporary African Photography Prize. Human rights organizations anticipate that the number of girls at risk of child marriage as a result of climate crisis will increase globally by a third by 2050.
Sister Eugenia Bonetti, Italy, has helped manage more than 100 shelters and establish a network with nuns in Africa to support migrant women victims of human trafficking and exploitation. She has assisted many women forced into the sex trade in Rome and in 2012 she founded Slaves No More, an organization that raises awareness of human trafficking. As a missionary in Kenya for decades she helped train officials to develop anti-trafficking initiatives.
Nadia Murad, Iraq, is a leading advocate for survivors of sexual violence, a human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize winner. She endured the Yazidi genocide in Iraq, carried out by the group Islamic State (IS) in 2014. Nadia was captured by IS militants, forced into slavery, and subjected to rape and abuse. She escaped after three months and has recounted her ordeal to the the world to raise awareness about conflict-related sexual violence. Nadia partnered with human rights lawyer Amal Clooney to hold IS accountable and launched Nadia’s Initiative to help rebuild communities and advocate for reparations for survivors.
Cristina Rivera Garza, Mexico/USA, is a prolific author awarded the 2024 Pulitzer Prize for her book, Liliana’s Invincible Summer, which shines a light on the issue of femicide. Through the story of her sister Liliana – murdered in Mexico by a former boyfriend who fled and was never brought to trial – Cristina confronts the trauma of losing a loved one and embarks on a quest for justice in a country with one of the highest femicide rates in the world.
Joan Chelimo Melly, Kenya/Romania, won silver at the European Championships half marathon in 2024. Beyond sport, she is a survivor of gender-based violence and co-funded Tirop’s Angels, an organization of Kenyan athletes formed after the murder of her fellow runner and world record-holder Agnes Tirop in 2021, which campaigns against gender-based violence. In 2024 the murder of Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei by her former partner reignited calls for action against femicide in Kenya.
Linda Drofn Gunnarsdottir, Iceland, is the executive director of the Association for Women’s Shelters in Iceland. Linda helps those who are forced to leave their homes due to domestic violence. Iceland is a country that often tops the rankings as the “best place to be a woman,” but where gender-based violence rates remain persistently high.
Hala Alkarib, Sudan, is the regional director of the Strategic Initiative for Women in the Horn of Africa (SIHA), a prominent activist and writer who leads programs that spotlight gender-based violence in the wider region. Since war broke out in Sudan in April 2023, SIHA has been tracing conflict-related sexual violence, providing support to women and girls. A 2024 UN report warned of the “staggering” scale of “atrocious crimes” by the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), accusations the RSF have dismissed.
Lead those who are experiencing gender-based violence to safe spaces. Open our hearts to listen and honor the stories of so many survivors. Strengthen us in word and action as we demand the right to live in a world where gender-based violence is no longer a threat. This we pray to You, our Loving God and Protector. Amen.
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