Edenvale SAPS shines a light on GBV

To celebrate National Women’s Month, Edenvale’s women and men in blue, with members of Edenvale CPF and security personnel, hit the streets in a joint operation to create awareness about gender-based violence (GBV).

Held on August 11 under the command of Edenvale SAPS acting station commander Lt-Col Eunice Nzuza, they were out in force as part of Operation Basadi.

While briefing those who assisted on the day, Edenvale SAPS visible policing commander Col Makgatje Marweshe said Operation Basadi would continue until the end of August.

The operation saw SAPS members, volunteers, ECPF members and security personnel conduct a roadblock on Van Riebeeck Avenue.

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At the roadblock, informative pamphlets containing information about the prevention of GBV and domestic abuse were handed to motorists.

According to the pamphlets distributed by the officials, abuse is defined as any action that intentionally harms or injures another person.

These actions can cause physical harm, make someone do something against their will or stop them from doing something.

Abuse can be verbal, emotional, physical or financial and those abused usually experience multiple forms of abuse.

Physical abuse occurs when one person uses physical pain or the threat of physical force to intimidate others.

It includes:
• Slapping, pushing and pulling hair.
• Abandoning the victim in dangerous places.
• Locking the victim out of the house.
• Refusing to help the victim if they are sick, injured or pregnant.

Sexual abuse occurs when the perpetrator initiates any unwanted sexual contact. It includes:
• Pressuring the victim to perform sexual acts they don’t want to perform.
• Touching the victim in an inappropriate manner.
• Forcing the victim to have sexual intercourse with others.
• Hurting the victim against their will during sex.

Rape is a form of sexual assault that involves sexual intercourse or forms of sexual penetration without the victim’s consent, it can be oral, anal or vaginal.

A victim has not consented to a sexual act if they are threatened, forced or intimidated to commit it.

If the victim is asleep, unconscious or under the influence of alcohol or drugs and a sexual act is committed it is also classified as rape.

A child under the age of 12 years old and a person with a mental disability cannot give consent to sexual acts.

What to do if you are raped or sexually assaulted:
• Preserve as much of the evidence of the rape as possible, do not bathe, shower or wash your clothes.
• Go to a safe place immediately and tell someone what has happened while you can remember the details.
• Report the rape at a police station or healthcare facility, the sooner the evidence is examined by officials the better.
• Get support to help you recover.

Emotional abuse consists of intentional behaviour designed to cause pain to another person on purpose. It can include:
• Name calling and intentionally embarrassing the victim in public.
• Constantly yelling and belittling the victim.
• Preventing the victim from spending time with friends and family members.
• Threats of suicide to keep the victim with the abuser.
• Threatening to harm loved ones or pets.
• Preventing the victim from going to work or school.
• Starting rumours about the victim.

Financial abuse is defined as when an abuser restricts a victim’s access to money. It includes:
• Preventing the victim from having a job.
• The abuser spending the victim’s money.
• The abuser intentionally destroying the victim’s possessions.
• Not allowing the victim access to information on the joint financial situation.

Seeking help
During an abusive relationship, an abuser will try to isolate the victim from the important people in their life.

If you feel you are being abused, ask for support, if there is a religious leader the abuser respects call on them for assistance. Alternatively, call for a family meeting to try and resolve the matter.

It is important to remember the people whom you ask for help need to support you.

Besides asking religious leaders and families for assistance, victims can seek assistance from a counsellor to help them better understand the feeling surrounding the abuse and relationship.

Counselling can help the victim restore their self-esteem and examine ways to move forward. They may also be able to assist with legal and practical resources.

Leaving an abusive relationship
When planning on leaving an abusive partner, a victim should speak to a counsellor or domestic violence worker.

They should obtain legal advice and know their rights.

Victims should pack a bag with their essentials, which include, money, debit and credit cards, forms of identification, clothes, their cellphone and spare keys.

Before leaving the relationship, victims should phone their local police stations or healthcare services and ask for contact details for shelters and support services for victims of abuse.

Marweshe said more operations of this kind would be held during the month.

Edenvale SAPS spokesperson Sgt Jacob Mashile said while conducting the operation, law enforcement officials engaged with motorists and conducted routine vehicle stops.

Nzuza thanked all the participants and encouraged them to report any form of violence to the authorities.

Contact details
Edenvale Police Station – 011 553 8600
Bertha Gxowa Care Centre (Germiston) – 011 089 8522
Daveyton Main Care Centre – 011 424 0192
Far East Rand Care Centre (Springs) – 011 812 8484
Thelle Mogoerane Hospital (Voslorus) – 011 590 0083
Amcare (Alberton) – 011 869 5856
Tskane Care Centre – 011 738 1003
Mercy Haven (Boksburg) – 011 892 2714/5037
Tembisa Masakhane – 011 923 2180/2106
Bethesda Centre (Benoni) – 011 845 2224
Leratong Place of Love (Springs) – 011 363 1368/9

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