Surviving GBV

My father was a priest in the Anglican Church. Yesterday (9 August) was Women’s Day in South Africa but also my father’s birthday. I’ve always thought it appropriate that a day dedicated to women should be on his birthday, because he had seven daughters and raised them to be strong, independent women.
A prayer that I remember him reciting from my childhood is the prayer of St Francis of Assissi:
Lord, make me an instrument of your peace. Where there is hatred, let me sow love; where there is injury, pardon; where there is doubt, faith; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.
O Divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek to be consoled as to console; to be understood as to understand; to be loved as to love. For it is in giving that we receive; it is in pardoning that we are pardoned;and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

According to Wikipedia Giovanni di Pietro di Bernardone, known as Francis of Assisi, was buried on 25 May 1230 at the Basilica of Saint Francis in Italy. Although he came from a privileged background (his father was a prosperous silk merchant and his mother a noblewoman) he chose poverty. His prayer encapsulates for me the adage in the Bible to “love thy neighbour as thyself”.
When my father’s seven daughters went out into the world they encountered the misogyny and violence that is such a prominent feature of our country. From 1 July to 30 September 2022 over 10 000 women were raped, 13 000 were assaulted, 1277 were victims of attempted murder and 989 women were murdered.
It seems to me that a more relevant approach to loving thy neighbour in South Africa is to start by showing care and respect to all girl children and women.
We are suffering. We are dying. Where there is hatred, sow love; where there is despair, hope; where there is darkness, light; and where there is sadness, joy.