The role of religion in eradicating violence against women

The eradication of violence against women requires not only changes in law and policy, but more fundamental changes at the level of culture, attitudes, and beliefs.

The development of a new culture needs to be grounded in the conviction that the equality of women and men is not only a goal to be achieved, but a truth about human nature to be acknowledged and embraced.

Guided by the belief that the equality of women and men is not only a desirable social condition but a spiritual truth, how can religious communities contribute to rethinking the underlying causes of violence against women? What can faith communities do to be agents of change in this respect? How can faith communities promote approaches to thinking about the family unit in which women and men work as equal partners?