The Jeppe police and CPF will be teaming up with other organisations to encourage community involvement in combating violence against women and children during this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign.
The theme of the campaign, which started on November 25 and ends on December 10, is ‘Count me in: together moving a non-violent South Africa forward’.
A series of 16 Days dialogues will be conducted to focus on the problem, discuss the causes and find appropriate solutions.
The objective of the campaign is to inspire citizens to become active participants in the fight to eradicate violence against women and children, to acknowledge that such violence is not only a government or criminal justice system problem but a societal problem, and to realise that the solution lies with all of us.
The Jeppe SAPS and CPF will be hosting a community event together with Total Bonjour Darras branch, the Department of Community Safety, JMPD and non-profit organisations to acknowledge this campaign.
The event will take place on December 8 from 9am to 1pm.
“Violence is unacceptable and has to be condemned because it has devastating effects both short- and long-term,” says Jeppe CPF chairperson Zola Dambula. “It destroys the lives of all involved, and the children always suffer the most. As a society we cannot accept that violence is the way to address issues and make it the norm.”
Dambula hopes the dialogue sessions will help society to see how violence destroys lives.
“We need to protect women and children, because children are the future and women gave us life and nurtured us. No woman or child deserves to be abused.”
To show support for the campaign, people are encouraged to wear white ribbons during the 16-day period. A white ribbon symbolises peace, and represents the determination of the wearer never to commit or condone violence.
