Group speaks out against domestic violence

20.JUL.07

Concerned with the number of women who are being abused, battered and killed, Soroptimist International has armed themselves with the theme, “Forging Ahead Together for Peace.”{{more}}

Federation Programme Director Margaret Cook noted that throughout the world, this was a serious problem but was quick to state how impressed she was that more women were speaking up and reporting their abuse to the law, rather than keeping it “hush hush.”

Cooke said that Soroptimist International members have been lobbying for changes in the law which she claimed favoured males over females. The Programme Director also noted that her organisation has been pressing for domestic violence to become a criminal offence and have helped to establish numerous battered women shelters which has catered for children.

Cooke said that the Soroptimist team have gone into schools and spoken to students about violence against women as part of their service programmes and will continue to do so in the 125 countries around the world in which they are located. (SG)