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Gender-specific religious persecution is unrelenting. Insecure contexts compound existing vulnerabilities, exacerbating certain forms of gender-specific religious persecution.
Insecure contexts and associated violence compound existing vulnerabilities, exacerbating certain forms of gender-specific religious persecution (GSRP).
Violence acts as a spark that exposes and exacerbates pre-existing vulnerabilities. Accordingly, in contexts where violence is high, faith-related sexual violence for women and physical violence for men, including lethal violence, are more common. Insecurity can incite new forms of violence as well as exacerbate everyday violence, such as intimate partner violence (IPV).
Marginalized Christians, especially women, can be particularly vulnerable in insecure contexts, such as settings of conflict, forced displacement and criminal violence.
There is no single experience of being a religious minority. Many factors impact a person’s experience: their geographical location, political views, gender, age and health needs. By and large, however, it is those already vulnerable who become more at risk when violence escalates. Women belonging to religious minorities are often one such group.
Violent insecurity leaves an indelible imprint on societies for decades.
Even when violence formally ceases, men and women of marginalized religious communities still face compounding challenges. This can include the legacies of trauma, the challenges of forced displacement settings and continued marginalization when societies restructure, all of which can be impacted by religion and gender.
Local faith actors (LFAs) are uniquely placed to respond to gender- and religious-specific needs.
LFAs are often the first responders in times of crisis. They are trusted by and often have easy access to impacted communities. They are uniquely equipped to understand the needs of religious minorities, including their psychological and spiritual needs. Increasingly, they are working towards gender-sensitive approaches.
