The Family and Marriage Society of SA’s Family Life Centre recently hosted a child protection event focused on sexual abuse at Safe Hub in Alexandra, which brought together children from various schools in the area.
The event aimed to educate and empower young minds about the importance of child protection and its significance in their lives.
Read more: Famsa engages Alexs youth on GBV issues
Famsa Johannesburg CEO, Jennifer Papers said they host this event every year, and it is also part of their community outreach programme which is an anti-bullying and sexual abuse programme.
“Today we are in Alexandra to teach children about their rights, to give them tools on how to protect themselves from sexual abuse. This event is not for children only but for their teachers as well to help them understand how they should assist the children if they find out that he/ she is being abused.
“With these events, we hope children will be empowered and we hope to provide them with knowledge because some other children may be not told about these things at home. We want to ensure that children are safe by breaking the silence; we want them to speak up when they are abused,” Papers said.
Also read: Masiphephe Network calls for cooperation in Alex gender violence fight
The children participated in various activities, including role play, their rights and tips to protect themselves which aimed to teach them about the importance of sharing their feelings, boundaries, and personal space.
“We believe that every child has the right to be protected and respected, and we are proud to host events like this that promote child protection and safety,” Papers said.
Related article: Lesedi learners say no to abuse of children