Friday 25 November marked the start of the global 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign.
Closer to home in Worcester, the Breede Valley Municipality started the awareness campaign at the town hall, where various role-players discussed the importance of the day.
Palesa Moso, a local ward councillor of the municipality, opened the event and explained that gender-based violence (GBV) is a pandemic, and if the end goal is a healthy environment for women, and children, “homes need to be stabilised”, which will encourage a healthier society.
South Africa has one of the highest GBV percentages worldwide which, according to Peter Titus of the Government Communication and Information System (GCIS), is due to “broken families”, which exacerbates this societal issue.
During the proceedings Colonel Joseph Horn of the Worcester Police Station explained that law enforcers, such as the police should not only take action against GBV during this 16 days, but rather 365 days. To do this Horn asked the community to come forward with any information on GBV incidents involving not only women and children, but men too.
“It is important to report cases as people will be held accountable,” he said.
Shimonay Nobel, a social worker, explained the Department of Social Development is not only there “to take children away”, a common perception among members of the public, but to assist women and men who are victims of GBV.
The event, aside from explaining the 16 days of activism and what they sought to address, introduced the public to affordable, helpful avenues of reporting a GBV-related case.
These, various role-players present at the event pointed out, includes reporting abuse to a local police station, approaching the local Department of Social Development and non-profit organisations (NPOs) such as the Thuthuzela Care Centre in Worcester, which will assist parties to access medical care, counselling and legal advice.
“Today is a moment to take more concrete action and recommit ourselves to the GBV cause,” said Heinrich Magerman of the Department of Local Government.
The event was concluded with an awareness march through High Street, Worcester.
