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Good morning. As you stretch into your wardrobe this morning what will influence the choice of what you will wear? 

Something bright to lighten your mood?

Something formal to let people know who you are?

Something casual and comfortable to go with your plans for the rest of day? 

Or are you one of the growing number of people dedicated to ending Gender based Violence and who spend Thursdays in Black?

Around the world gender violence is rife, and the number of women and girls affected is staggering: an estimated one in every three women has been beaten, coerced into sex or abused in some other way – most often this is by someone she knows.

One in five women worldwide will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. UN statistics say that worldwide, over 600 million women are living in countries where domestic violence is still not against the law.

There are historic, systemic and cultural challenges that we still have to address if we are to be at the vanguard of the prevention of brutality against women. There are unhealthy stereotypes, macho philosophies and, sadly, strands of theology which still embed and encourage the causes of gender discrimination and power imbalance. 

None of us can rest until this is a thing of the past, but, until it is women and men across the world will be reaching into their wardrobes on Thursdays - and they will choose black.

God, make us restless and God, make us angry until gender justice is known across the world and God, may we not have to wear black on Thursdays for ever and a day. AMEN