wfn.org | Taiwan Foundation Takes Steps Against Domestic Violence

[Worldwide Faith News <wfn@igc.org>]

Taiwan Church News 2778 23-29 May 2005

Reported by Gu Hao-jan. Written by David Alexander

Domestic violence cases are not uncommon in Taiwan, and the injured parties
are almost always women.  Several non-governmental organizations recently
implemented a programme entitled ¡§Tender Life¡¨ which seeks to create a
stand and social environment against domestic violence.  Part of the
programme is a ¡§Men Speak Out¡¨ survey through which the groups hope to
create a good model for upcoming generations. The Garden of Hope Foundation
will host the survey project on its website, under the title of, ¡§My Man,
I¡¦ve Something to Tell You.¡¨ The survey is for the response of men only.

The problem of domestic violence in Taiwan has long been considered an
internal family matter. In the past it was only addressed by women¡¦s
groups. Garden of Hope recognizes the need to bring men on board through
soliciting their viewpoints and adding their voices.  They want men to
understand a bit of what it means to act as family service workers and
understand the importance of reducing violence.

¡§Tender Life¡¨ calls for men to take up the anti-violence cause and to
communicate it, ¡§man to man¡¨. Matters of disagreement in families need to
be dealt with in discussion, not through acts of violence. By starting now,
the next generation will be given a new model that does not accept
violence. Young men need to learn that being ¡§manly¡¨ has nothing to do
with violence but is based on self confidence and the ability to love and
care for family members. The foundation asserts that only when men and
women join hands to say no to domestic violence, clearly stating the
¡§wrong¡¨ of it, can the phenomenon one day be abolished.

The survey can be found at:
www.goh.org.tw/chinese/questionaire/tenderness/default.asp

For more information: www.goh.org.tw

Taiwan Church News is published weekly in Taiwan's local languages.

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