THE Anglican Bishop in Jerusalem, the Rt Revd Suheil Dawani, has
condemned acts of sexual violence against people escaping the
violence in Syria. In an article for the Anglican Communion News
Service, he said that Christians "cannot be a silent witness to the
brutal treatment of women and children. The ravages of war will
leave - are leaving - deep scars that will take generations to
heal."
In a report released in mid-January, the International Rescue
Committee (IRC), based in the United States, described rape as "a
significant and disturbing feature of the Syrian civil war". In the
course of three IRC assessments in Lebanon and Jordan, Syrians
identified rape as a primary reason why their families fled the
country (News,
18 January).
Bishop Dawani said that it was "vitally important that we work
to change the archaic attitudes that dominate this region of the
world. Generations of women know nothing more than continued
suffering."