VOA标准英语2013--Lebanese NGO Collaborates with Religious Leaders to Combat Domestic Abuse

 

Lebanese NGO Collaborates¹ with Religious Leaders to Combat Domestic Abuse

Samah al Turk lives in a one-bedroom apartment with her four daughters, her mother and her sister. The oldest daughter is 12, the youngest, five. Their father is absent from this picture and from their lives. They divorced when she could no longer tolerate his abuse.

"He hit me for things I never did, and people used to shout in front of me: 'Stop hitting her.' When we called the police hotline, they told me they could not interfere," she recalled. "And I believe that this is a tragic² mistake. They wait until the husband kills the wife, or their children get hurt, until anyone interferes³. We should make this generation much more aware than they are now."

That's not easy in a society that shies away from talking openly about domestic violence. Many organizations have tried to tackle the problem without success. Recently, Abaad solicited⁴ help from religious figures.

Lebanon is a country with 17 sects⁵. Although most Lebanese are Muslims, Maronite Christians⁶ make up about one fifth of the population.

Abaad wanted to represent all of Lebanon's religions in a video for Lebanese TV, the Internet and on billboards⁷. But in the end, the message was the same, “Violence against women is a sin. Jesus Christ denounced acts of violence against women.”

"Many people wait for these men to speak to gain some sort of insight towards their lives and how they should live their lives, and so these men coming out with a powerful, direct message about ending violence against women and how the religion stands against violence against women, is so important for the cause," stated Anthony Keedi, program coordinator⁸ at Abaad.

Nabil Shehadi, pastor⁹ at All Saints Church in Beirut, says religious figures have more clout¹⁰ in the Middle East than in the West. "In the Middle East and in Lebanon, there isn’t such a separation between faith and daily living," he said. "And so religious leaders have a big say in society and can be political mobilizers, not just religious leaders, and they’re social mobilizers."

Human rights activists¹¹ in Lebanon believe civil society campaigns like this one are having an impact, but that violence against women and domestic violence require greater attention from both the government and law enforcement for things to truly change. 

1 collaborates   

合作( collaborate的第三人称单数 )； 勾结叛国

参考例句：

• Third, main economy Central Bank collaborates to cut the interest rate. 第三，主要经济体央行联手降低利率。
• Any one who collaborates should be shot. 与敌人勾结者一律枪决。

2 tragic   

adj.悲剧的，悲剧性的，悲惨的

参考例句：

• The effect of the pollution on the beaches is absolutely tragic.污染海滩后果可悲。
• Charles was a man doomed to tragic issues.查理是个注定不得善终的人。

3 interferes   

vi. 妨碍，冲突，干涉

参考例句：

• The noise interferes with my work. 这噪音妨碍我的工作。
• That interferes with my plan. 那干扰了我的计划。

4 solicited   

v.恳求( solicit的过去式和过去分词 )；（指娼妇）拉客；索求；征求

参考例句：

• He's already solicited their support on health care reform. 他已就医疗改革问题请求他们的支持。 来自辞典例句
• We solicited ideas from Princeton University graduates and under graduates. 我们从普林斯顿大学的毕业生与大学生中征求意见。 来自辞典例句

5 sects   

n.宗派，教派( sect的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Members of these sects are ruthlessly persecuted and suppressed. 这些教派的成员遭到了残酷的迫害和镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He had subdued the religious sects, cleaned up Saigon. 他压服了宗教派别，刷新了西贡的面貌。 来自辞典例句

6 Christians   

n.基督教徒( Christian的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Christians of all denominations attended the conference. 基督教所有教派的人都出席了这次会议。
• His novel about Jesus caused a furore among Christians. 他关于耶稣的小说激起了基督教徒的公愤。

7 billboards   

n.广告牌( billboard的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Large billboards have disfigured the scenery. 大型告示板已破坏了景色。 来自辞典例句
• Then, put the logo in magazines and on billboards without telling anyone what it means. 接着我们把这个商标刊在杂志和广告看板上，却不跟任何人透漏它的涵意。 来自常春藤生活英语杂志-2006年4月号

8 coordinator   

n.协调人

参考例句：

• The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, headed by the Emergency Relief Coordinator, coordinates all UN emergency relief. 联合国人道主义事务协调厅在紧急救济协调员领导下，负责协调联合国的所有紧急救济工作。
• How am I supposed to find the client-relations coordinator? 我怎么才能找到客户关系协调员的办公室？

9 pastor   

n.牧师，牧人

参考例句：

• He was the son of a poor pastor.他是一个穷牧师的儿子。
• We have no pastor at present:the church is run by five deacons.我们目前没有牧师：教会的事是由五位执事管理的。

10 clout   

n.用手猛击；权力，影响力

参考例句：

• The queen may have privilege but she has no real political clout.女王有特权，但无真正的政治影响力。
• He gave the little boy a clout on the head.他在那小男孩的头部打了一下。

11 activists   

n.（政治活动的）积极分子，活动家( activist的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His research work was attacked by animal rights activists . 他的研究受到了动物权益维护者的抨击。
• Party activists with lower middle class pedigrees are numerous. 党的激进分子中有很多出身于中产阶级下层。 来自《简明英汉词典》