Thousands of Seventh-day Adventists took to the streets as activists against abuse in scores of cities throughout South America last Saturday.
The church’s campaign “Breaking the Silence” brought marches and motorcades along avenues, hosted dramatic performances in plazas, and partnered with school districts and public safety agencies to offer educational talks about preventing domestic violence, sexual abuse and cyber bullying.
The initiative was part of the Adventist world church’s Abuse Prevention Emphasis Day, which is typically held the fourth Saturday of every August. The campaign was established by the denomination’s Executive Committee in 2001.
World church leaders launched the initiative noting that occurrences of domestic violence and sexual abuse happen in Christian homes at rates similar to the general population. The first steps to fight abuse, they said, are awareness and education.
The campaign has been implemented by the Adventist Church with varying degrees of success, depending on the world region or congregation. Read Full Story