Published on January 8, 2024, 12:38 am

Image source: Fox News

A revolutionary database that tracks instances of violent religious persecution across the globe has been inaugurated by Global Christian Relief, a United States-based organization committed to keeping tabs on Christian persecution. The Violent Incidents Database (VID) claims to be the only events-based global dataset focused on religious freedom.

The VID catalogs over a dozen categories of violence such as killings, arrests, abductions, sexual harassment, and forced marriages. This public accessible tool facilitates searches based on country, religion, and violators while ensuring an unparalleled degree of verification.

The affiliates responsible for these infringements range from ethnic group leaders, government officials and organized crime units to political parties and religious leaders. The VID sprung into action in 2022 and has since been tracking over 6,000 incidents globally.

“This database acts as a mouthpiece for the oppressed by documenting and disclosing details of specific assaults endured by Christians as well as other people of faith worldwide,” said GCR’s CEO David Curry. To him, this commendable resource is aimed at aiding any person speaking up and reporting in favor of the persecuted church.

GCR funds VID’s research which is performed by International Institute for Religious Freedom (IIRF), a pioneering authority in religious freedom studies. Ronald Boyd-MacMillan, GCR’s Chief of Global Strategy and Research points out “We live in a world where the violent persecution of Christians and other religious groups is proliferating.”

This mammoth directory does not only track the perpetration but also aids in comprehending what persecuted Christians truly necessitate from their brethren across boundaries. The forthcoming GCR Global Religious Freedom Index will incorporate this monumental contribution.

In addition to that we find that around 4.9 billion individuals reside in countries where severe violations against religious freedom occur according to Aid to Church in Need (ACN). An ACN report titled “Religious Freedom in the World Report 2023” reveals that these people inhabit 61 countries where the provisions of religious freedom guaranteed in Article 18 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights are largely deficient.

This means that about 62% of the global population resides in nations where individuals are denied their right to practice, express, or change their religion, as per ACN. The transgressors include extremist factions to dictatorial regimes, but the trend continues with negligible pursuit or international criticism for violators.

Out of these 61 countries highlighted, 28 have been marked as “hot countries” where persecution is incessant and an additional 33 indicate rampant levels discrimination. While GCR’s VID intends to document such transgressions focusing on tracking violence across five continents, it acknowledges many instances remain unknown due to lackluster attention from authorities and media.