Masithethe Counselling Services, formerly known as Lifeline, is a victim-empowering center in East London challenging communities to join them in taking a stand against rape, abuse, and violence against women and children by wearing black every Thursday.
“Standing up to violence and abuse should not be a Thursdays-only event but an everyday thing. The Thursday in Black campaign is taking the challenge one step further as we aim to create 365 days of no violence against women and children,” said Masithethe chair Jackie Orsmond.
The Thursday in Black campaign is a global movement that dates back to the 1970s by a group called “Mothers of the Disappeared” in Argentina.
These women wore black sashes in honor of their friends and family members who were raped, abused, or had disappeared. They would gather every Thursday and protest in silence with the aim of alerting the government that this was happening in the homelands.
The campaign was launched in South Africa by the Diakonia Council of Churches in the 1980s as a peaceful way of saying, “I support the human right of women to live in a world without violence, rape, and fear.”
Orsmond explained that they would like to reach as many people as possible through this campaign for the highest possible impact.
“We encourage people to join us as we stand with women who face injustice and violence. We also urge people to spread the word by sharing the campaign idea with colleagues, friends, and family and to adopt the campaign. Our goal is to have the entire Buffalo City community’s support in this fight.”
She said their organization is a safe space that offers counseling, care, and comfort to victims of gender-based violence at absolutely no cost at all. “Our professional counselors are always there to listen and to help.”
