Sabarimala: Kerala women form 620-km wall; pledge to ensure gender justice // Kerala Nuns Speak Out About Decades-Long History Of Rape, Abuse By Priests

On New Year’s Day, an estimated 30 lakh women stood shoulder to shoulder along national highways to form a “women’s wall” that ran the length of Kerala. Vanitha Mathil, which stretched for nearly 620 km from Kasaragod in the north to Thiruvananthapuram in the south, symbolised the participants’ resolve to uphold the values of Kerala’s renaissance, ensure gender justice, and counter “moves to turn the state into a lunatic asylum”. The event, billed the largest congregation ever of women in Kerala, was organised by the state government with the support of several political, religious and social groups. It was essentially a counter-demonstration against the Sangh Parivar’s agitation preventing women of menstruating age from entering the Sabarimala shrine in violation of the Supreme Court’s ruling. Though a “pledge” taken by the participants did not mention the Sabarimala row, it was clearly the animating theme.

“Women must be allowed to pray in all temples. Nobody can deny them their rights anymore,” said Soudamini, 56, a farm labourer from Cherai village who stood in the wall in Ernakulam. “This women’s wall is a warning to all regressive forces in Kerala.” Sajitha MV, 32, a teacher from Karivellur in Kannur said she was out to register her protest against those who deny women their rights. “The wall gives me a platform to express my support for gender justice,” she added. “It is a historic programme and I am happy to be a part of it.”

The wall comprised women from all walks of life – social activists, filmstars, theatre personalities, writers, sportspersons, nuns, farmers – and was bookended by Health Minister KK Shylaja in Kasaragod and the senior Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Brinda Karat in Thiruvanantha-puram. Men expressed solidarity by forming a parallel wall on the other side of the highway. Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan, along with top leaders of the ruling Left Democratic Front and of other groups backing the event addressed public meetings at different places... read more:
https://scroll.in/article/907827/kerala-women-form-620-km-human-wall-to-counter-sabarimala-agitation-pledge-to-ensure-gender-justice

Kerala Nuns Speak Out About Decades-Long History Of Rape, Abuse By Priests

KURAVILANGAD, Kerala — The nuns talk of Catholic priests who pushed into their bedrooms and of priests who pressured them to turn close friendships into sex. Across India, they talk about being groped and kissed, of hands pressed against them by men they were raised to believe were representatives of Jesus Christ. At its most grim, nuns speak of repeated rapes, and of a Catholic hierarchy that did little to protect them.

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The Vatican has long been aware of nuns sexually abused by priests and bishops in Asia, Europe, South America and Africa, but it has done very little to stop it, The Associated Press reported last year.
Now, the AP has investigated the situation in India and uncovered a decades-long history of nuns enduring sexual abuse from within the church. Nuns detailed the sexual pressure they endured from priests; nearly two dozen nuns, former nuns and priests, and others said they had direct knowledge of such incidents.

Still, the problem is cloaked by a powerful culture of silence. Many nuns believe abuse is commonplace, insisting most sisters can at least tell of fending off a priest’s sexual advances. Some believe it is rare. Almost none talk about it readily, and most speak only on the condition that they not be identified. But this summer, one nun forced the issue into the open.

When repeated complaints to church officials brought no response, the 44-year-old nun filed a police complaint against the bishop who oversees her order, accusing him of raping her 13 times over two years. A group of nuns launched a public protest to demand the bishop’s arrest. The protest divided India’s Catholic community. The accuser and the nuns who support her are now pariahs, isolated from the other sisters, many of whom defend the bishop. “Some people are accusing us of working against the church,” said one supporter, Sister Josephine Villoonnickal. “They say, ‘You are worshipping Satan.’ But we need to stand up for the truth.”..read more:

https://www.huffingtonpost.in/entry/kerala-nuns-speak-out-about-decades-long-history-of-rape-abuse-by-priests_in_5c2c4e34e4b0407e9085f964?utm_hp_ref=in-homepage