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."