VARIOUS organisations recently received training on numerous aspects of preventing domestic violence at Jesus Christ Empowerment Centre (JCEC) in KwaZakhele.
The training was held as part of the #EndDomesticSilence initiative being run by tea brand, JOKO in partnership with People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA).
Launched in 2019, the #EndDomesticSilence initiative aims at ending the silence surrounding domestic violence and increase the speaking out, reporting of, awareness and education around domestic violence.
Beneficiaries of the training were mostly community stakeholders, including On Eagle’s Wings Multi-purpose Centre, the Community Policing Forum, the South African Police Service, Doxa Family Care and members of JCEC, among others.
The training provided knowledge on the many forms and signs of domestic violence, its contributing factors and effects, how to assist survivors of domestic violence, legal and practical steps to leave domestic violence and the various resources to address it.
It also included information on GBV and the LGBTQI community among a range of other valuable information.
By the end of 2022, all 14 NGOs across South Africa that POWA has partnered with through the initiative will have benefited from this sector strengthening training.
Mpho Masilo, head of projects at POWA, said a major objective of the training was to fortify the active voice and agency of local communities in ending the silence on domestic violence, alongside other critical role players in government and civil society.
“This training aims at building the capacity of community-based organisations to better respond to domestic violence, while assisting them to offer women a safe space that is non-judgmental and supportive, where they can speak out and share their experiences, while receiving the support they need to end their abuse,” she explained.
Nondzukiso Stemele, a social worker at On Eagle’s Wings Multi-Purpose Centre, said, “The training highlighted the importance of respecting those within the LGBTQI community and treating them like any other person.
“Someone’s sexual orientation has nothing to do with you. The training also emphasised that if your husband can’t be rehabilitated, then it’s best to leave rather than stay in a marriage where you’re scared and unhappy.
“Don’t worry what people will say if you leave. They’re not living your life.”
In addition to providing organisations nationwide with comprehensive training on domestic violence, the #EndDomesticSilence initiative also involves running skills development programmes and holding healing days with the partner organisations.
The initiative is giving abused women across South Africa the opportunity to learn make-up application, wig-making, nail installation and eyelash extension, get their driving licences and attain sewing, baking, computer and HIV lay counselling skills. Gender-based violence (GBV) survivors based in Gqeberha have benefited from sewing classes.
Survivors in the city also benefited from a healing day, where they shared their experiences of GBV and how they rose above them to lead better lives.
“Healing days give women the platform to open up about their experience of abuse in a safe space,” said Mpho.
“This is powerfully beneficial as it assists them to let go of their trauma and gain strength, comfort, support and learn from each other.”
The healing day also included a candle lighting ceremony in remembrance of women killed by their partners and an exercise where survivors wrote issues bothering them on small pieces of paper, which were then burnt to symbolise releasing the painful past from the present.
– ISSUED BY THANDIWE
MCCLOY (COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER – POWA)
