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Violence from the Wider World - Consultation Report
In the African setting violence from the wider world is bound to include terrorism, civil wars and political unrest which radically disrupt family life and lead to displacement as refugees, loss of life and property, and traumatised people.
However, the Consultation also identified economic, environmental and social violence as important. Economic violence is seen as the effects of the debt crisis for developing countries and inappropriate structural adjustment programmes as well as the effects of globalisation which destroys local industries and uses people as cheap labour to increase the profits of wealthy international companies. Environmental violence covered deforestation, the promotion of genetically modified seeds and products, growing air pollution, the dumping of nuclear weapons and the testing of experimental drugs in developing countries. Social violence included sexual harassment, unemployment, poor working conditions, verbal abuse and intimidation.
The Consultation pointed to violence in the Church where religion has been used to silence people. Denial of the ordination of women, hypocrisy, covering up of abuse, and clergy/Bishops� wives automatically taking leadership positions and acting in a domineering fashion were seen as examples where the Church perpetuates violence.
Equally it was clear that in some places the Church has been outspoken in supporting the displaced and in working to fight injustice.
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