Voice of Government: Stop the scourge of women and child abuse

The 16 Days Campaign has in recent years helped to focus attention on the progress made in combating violence against women and children. However, the levels of physical, emotional and sexual abuse experienced by women and children remain high. Abuse and violence are social menaces which place severe demands on law enforcement, healthcare and social services.

President Jacob Zuma has appealed to the nation by saying: “Let us work for a South Africa where women and children can walk the streets of our country without fear of being attacked. Let us ensure that all our people enjoy freedom, security and respect for their human rights.”

It is important that media, civil society, community leaders and every South African work with the government to promote a culture of respect, love and compassion for our women as well as protection of our children.

We should make it a daily commitment to be vocal about violence against vulnerable groups.

Communities must work with the police, be vigilant and report incidents of domestic violence. It is important that all South Africans take a firm stand against abuse in our neighbourhoods and ensure that the perpetrators, people familiar or unknown to us, face the full might of the law.

We should not protect partners, family members or friends who commit violent crimes, out of fear for their lives, the possible shame it might bring to a family or due to economic dependency on the perpetrator.

Family violence is a complex issue, which crosses cultural and socio-economic boundaries. Studies show that men who batter women frequently also abuse their children. As part of this cycle, children who are violently beaten learn to treat others with aggression and disrespect to get their way, actions that can only perpetuate violence in societies.

South Africans should realise that most children who survive abuse, at great physical and emotional cost, often perform poorly in school, drop out, or run away.

Long-range studies show that victims of child abuse are far more likely to become violent teenagers or commit brutal acts, compared to children growing up in nonviolent homes.

Moreover, abused children tend to fall into a violent cycle with a large number of abused children who become abusive parents.

We should constantly remind ourselves that the emotional lessons we learn as children at home and at school shape our emotional circuits.

Therefore, the government has strengthened its national programme to enhance protection of the rights of children and women. The following programmes and legislation were introduced to empower and better protect the vulnerable in our society:

• The government launched the Strategy and Guidelines on Children Working and Living in the Streets in June to provide guidance on the services and programmes to be rendered to children living and working in the streets.

• An Advisory Council on Violence against Women and Children was established which will comprise key government departments, civil society organisations and other relevant partners. It will coordinate various commendable initiatives implemented to stop this scourge.

• Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences (FCS) units have been established in all 176 policing areas. Police officers have been trained to deal with these cases with the sensitivity they deserve. Forensic social workers are hired to assist child victims in particular to submit evidence necessary to support conviction.

• Thuthuzela Care Centres were increased to 28 and are located in areas with high incidents of violence against women and children. These one-stop centres enable rape victims to lodge a case with the police and receive counselling and medical care including prevention of HIV infection and unwanted pregnancy.

• Government departments with civil society organisations developed a victims charter which contains the Minimum Standards on Services for Victims of Crime. It sets out processes and responsibilities of government department role-players in the criminal justice system, minimum standards on services for victims of crime and complaints mechanisms. Importantly, this charter aims to eliminate secondary victimisation in the criminal justice process.

Corrective rape is another barbaric act which made headlines recently. The Minister of Women, Children and Persons with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, condemned this hate crime by saying: “There is nothing like corrective rape. This is the horrendous crime of rape and a violation of people’s right to choose their sexual orientation as stipulated in the country’s Constitution.”

Gender-based violence is reinforcing gender inequalities in our societies, which is distressing, especially after we worked hard to make strides in the representation of women in decision-making positions and to create better access to education for girls.

During the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign, the government calls on all South Africans to play your part in ensuring peace in our homes and communities by wearing a white ribbon between November 25 and December 10.

Let’s never forget how hard we have worked for the freedom and facilities we have in our beautiful country. We cannot allow this progress to be eroded through sexual abuse and violence directed at vulnerable members of society.