SI Canterbury marked the UN 16 Days of Activism Against Gender Violence with an evening of awareness raising and friendship. The Club has eight Friendship links with Soroptimists around the world. We ate food from their countries and gathered information about international responses to domestic violence.

Australia: one women a week dies from family violence, 36% being witnessed by children. Local Soroptimists support the resource centre and mark the events with several activities including Talk the Walk, White Ribbon Day and a fund raising dinner.

China: there are no Soroptimists in China. Traditionally domestic violence has been regarded as a private issue. Data suggests that nearly one in four women is assaulted in some way and the risk to rural women is double. However, for the first time, a draft law was published this month which activists have greeted as a major step forward.

Ghana: there is a deep cultural belief that it is acceptable for women to be hit by their spouse and one in three women are affected. Although there is legislation, it is difficult to gather evidence and the police are rarely invloved.

UK: SI Canterbury supports the work of the Rising Sun Domestic Violence & Abuse Service (www.risingsunkent.com).

USA: amongst countless initiatives, the National Football League placed television adverts to end domestic violence with the mantra “No More”. Locally Soroptimists support the Crystal Judson Family Justice Centre which honours the memory of the wife of the local police chief. He killed her after many years of domestic violence demonstrating that any woman can be at risk.