People with learning disabilities 'targeted by groomers'
An adult with Learning Disabilities (LD) is a vulnerable adult aged 18 years or over, who may be in need of community care and unable to protect themselves from harm or exploitation. Over the years most institutions have closed and vulnerable people have moved into more independent living. This carries risks. People with LD often live in blocks of flats in gang areas. It's like walking around with a label saying 'I'm a vulnerable person'. Mencap say that adults with LD are four times more likely to suffer sexual abuse. Police chiefs and disability groups are aware that people with LD are at risk of being targeted by groomers. Unfortunately, should friends or relatives of a victim of abuse alert social services or police on behalf of the victim, they are told, ‘We cannot do anything because the victim is an adult and can make their own choices’.
Northern Ireland crime increase
Crime across Northern Ireland has risen. In 2014/15 there were 94 victims as a result of paramilitary-style attacks, 24 more than the previous year. Drug seizure incidents increased, by 5.8%, and 2,831 people were arrested for drug offences. There were also increases in hate crime: for example, racist incidents increased by 374, from 982 to 1,356. Northern Ireland’s Deputy Chief Constable Drew Harris said, ‘We have seen a slight increase of 2.3% in recorded crime for 2014/15, which unfortunately is similar to the wider trend that is being experienced right across the UK. Like all public sector organisations, we are operating in an environment of reduced budgets and fewer personnel to deliver against the same volume of calls for service.'
Scotland - after the election
The political landscape of Scotland has been recast. Many MSPs are no longer in parliament, and we can pray for them and their families as they come to terms with the disappointment and change. The Assisted Suicide (Scotland) Bill is due to have its First Stage debate in the Scottish Parliament by the end of May. We are asked to pray for Michael Matheson MSP, the Cabinet Secretary for Justice, to include the criminalisation of payment for sex as a key aspect of the Human Trafficking and Exploitation (Scotland) Bill. Also the General Assembly of the Church of Scotland meets in Edinburgh from 16 to 22 May. Commissioners are expected to make a final decision on the long-running issue of whether to allow the ordination and induction of ministers and deacons in same sex civil partnerships. This has already been approved by presbyteries, with 31 for and 14 against.
Christians urged to pray for new Government
The Christian Institute is encouraging Christians across the UK to pray for the new Government after Thursday’s General Election results. The Bible tells us to pray for whoever is in charge and to pray that we would be allowed the freedom to live godly lives with liberty to share the gospel. Meanwhile the General Director of Evangelical Alliance issued a call for Christians to pray for the Prime Minister and his Government, and ensure the church holds him and his cabinet accountable for their policies in the coming days, weeks and months. Also, Dr Jonathan Oloyede of the National Day of Prayer and Worship perceives a Prayer-Storm blowing across the British Isles and urges us to pray for politicians and leaders serving in our local areas, to link up with their staff, and pray and act with wisdom, humility and knowledge.
Nigeria: Boko Haram survivors - food shortages
Since Nigeria's army began clearing areas of the country's northeast from Boko Haram, some internally displaced people have started returning home. But thousands could now face severe food shortages as reconstruction is delayed. Some trade has resumed in towns, but ghostly pockets and haunting reminders of the insurgent takeover are evident. Three months after the fighting ended, the smell of rotting corpses still clings to the air by the Church of the Brethren near Mararaba. People have returned to Adamawa province, but health clinics, banks and schools are still lacking and vast stretches of farmland stand barren. People are afraid and lack the equipment and manpower to farm, so for the moment they can’t live off the land. There is no sign of government aid. The rainy season comes next month and landmines are still dotted around. About a week ago a bomb exploded when people went to clear the land.
Georgia: Battle for Orthodoxy in the classroom
The Orthodox Church's resurgence began in the 1990s with the collapse of the USSR. Now Georgia's liberal politicians want alignment with Europe and the US to allow the country to overcome its past and become an independent nation. Some are accusing the Orthodox Church of using schools to breed religious conservatives with beliefs aligned to Putin's Russia. More than 80% of Georgians call themselves Orthodox, with the young amongst the most religious. The church's conservative message is at odds with Georgia’s liberal, pro-Western direction. An example of school/church activity is in the village of Terjola. The Head Teacher often brings in Terjola’s priest to work with the children and she wants to have a school prayer room. On her desk is a large photograph of Patriarch Ilia II, the head of Georgia's Orthodox Church and the country's most popular public figure.
Syria: Ransom rejected for 242 Assyrian Christian hostages
Isolated Assyrian Christians have been caught for nearly three months between Kurdish militias and Syrian army forces battling with IS for control of Hassaka province, says Syriac Catholic Archbishop Jacques Behnan Hindo. 1,000 Assyrian families fled their village homes, sending them into exile in Qamishli and Hassaka city. In addition, 242 Assyrian Christians captured during these attacks are still being held incommunicado at an IS stronghold bombed last week by the Syrian army. Church officials have identified 93 women, 51 children and 98 men taken captive. After two months of behind-the-scenes negotiations through local intermediaries, church attempts to gain the release of the hostages were rebuffed by their IS captors. Australia’s Archbishop Mar Meelis said, ‘IS jihadists demanded a US $23 million ransom to release their Khabur captives’. An Assyrian church leader said the amount was beyond the capacity of a tiny church in a poor community.
USA: Criminal justice reforms
American law enforcement's public image is at an all-time low, and the Justice Department is fielding calls to investigate departments across the country. Lawmakers from both political parties want to pass reforms, and presidential candidate Rand Paul met members of the Congressional Black Caucus this week to discuss criminal justice reform. He’s an outspoken advocate for changing the way the American criminal system prosecutes and sentences. This Wednesday he will begin working with black lawmakers to craft a strategy for advancing legislation. Law-enforcement issues have taken centre stage following the death of several unarmed black men at the hands of police. The Congressional Black Caucus has tried for decades to reform the criminal justice system. Senator Paul was instrumental in convincing the Senate to pass the Death in Custody Reporting Act, the first post-Ferguson Act of Congress. See also:
Nepal: 2nd earthquake - 7.2 magnitude
A new earthquake hit Nepal on Tuesday, with shockwaves felt as far away as New Delhi and Dhaka. At the time of writing at least 65 people have been reported killed in India, Nepal and Tibet, with more than 1,100 injured. The epicentre was to the east of Kathmandu, close to the China border. There are massive recovery efforts under way to aid victims in Nepal. Hundreds of thousands of buildings, including many ancient sites, were destroyed and many more damaged. Tearfund said that they had not yet been able to contact their partner workers in the field and that in the capital Kathmandu there had been panic. ‘People are very scared, choosing to stay out in the streets. It's been doubly traumatic for them, and we need to pray and support them.’
Iraq: Three British schoolgirl 'Jihadi brides' flee from husbands
An anonymous report stated that three young British girls are trying to escape from their husbands - and possibly IS. A Facebook posting on 2 May said, ‘Three girls (foreigners, British) married to IS militants, are reported missing, and IS has ordered all its check points to search for them. It is believed that those girls have escaped.’ The author later added, ‘The latest info I have is they are still on the run in Mosul, and IS is thoroughly searching for them - not captured them yet. They are Brits, not immigrants, and they are very young teens (around 16 years old). That's all I have about them for now.’ See also article 6 in this week’s Prayer-Alert British Isles section.