CCUCC Statement Concerning

SEXISM & WOMEN’S RIGHTS

November 2016

We believe that our Christian faith calls us to combat a societal devaluation of women that was brought into the spotlight during the presidential campaign of 2016. We look to the example of respect shown by Jesus toward Mary and Martha, the honor he gave to the woman he healed, his insistence that God’s love extends equally to all people. As the early Church formed, it depended on women as well as men to carry out its work. We recognize that while the institutional Church has historically been a contributor to oppression of women in some of its teachings, its message of universal love has also burned as a constant flame to inspire changes, and we lift up the progress that has been made in laws and attitudes.

It has been a long hard fight for equality for women and it is far from over. As a progressive Christian congregation, we call for recognition of the problems cited below and for action wherever the opportunity arises. On the world-wide scene, we can publicize and contribute to organizations which combat these problems, such as Amnesty International. On a state and national level, we can support legislation that gives adequate protection against domestic violence and mandates fair employment practices. Personally, we can speak up against treatment of women as objects and attitudes that demean women’s human dignity. We must not rest until all humans are valued and respected equally everywhere.

As we write this:

In the United States of America:

• A woman is beaten every 9 seconds.
• Intimate partner violence is the leading cause of female homicide and injury-related deaths during pregnancy.
• 98% of abused women also experience financial abuse. The number one reason domestic violence survivors stay or return to the abusive relationship is that the abuser controls their money supply.
• Domestic violence is the third leading cause of homelessness.
• 10,000,000 children are exposed to domestic violence every year.
• Women only make 79 cents to every dollar a man earns for the same jobs.
• American women serving in Iraq or Afghanistan are more likely to be raped by a comrade than killed by an enemy.
• In 2014, 74 colleges in the US had Title IX sexual violence investigations pending.
• By 2018, there will be 1.4 million open technology jobs in the US and at the current rate of students graduating with degrees in technology, only 29% of applicants will be women.
• One in five women on US college campuses has experienced sexual assault.
• Women currently hold on 4.8% of CEO positions at S&P 500 companies.

World Wide:

• Only half or the world’s working-age women are in the labor force, compared to 77 percent of working age men.
• 62 million girls are denied an education all over the world.
• 15 million girls under the age of 18 are married worldwide, many with little or no say in the matter.
• 250,000 maternal deaths and 1.7 million newborn deaths would be averted if the need for both family planning and maternal and newborn health service were met.
• Female genital mutilation affects more than 125 million girls and women alive today.
• At least 1000 honor killings occur in India and Pakistan each year.
• One in three women worldwide has experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
• Only 30% of the world’s researchers are women.

Statistics such as these can only be reversed when people become aware and take action.