As part of the national 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, community members are urged to takes a stand against gender-based violence in their homes and work places.
The annual campaign runs from November 25 to December 10.
As part of the commemorations, Kidz Clinic highlighted the scourge of abuse meted out against children in the city.
According to the organisation, situated in the Boksburg CBD, about 617 abused children have been assisted at the centre between January and November 19.
Kidz Clinic offers free medical and therapeutic intervention and treatment services for abused children.
They also provide psycho-social, trauma and competence assessment, trauma debriefing, medical examination and completion of J88 form to accompany police docket and many more.
According to the centre, the disruption of social and protective networks, loss of income, stress and decreased access to basic services can exacerbate the risk of violence for women and children in communities.
Social auxiliary workers at the centre encourage anyone who experiences violence or witness it to speak out.
“It may be helpful for victims to seek help from family, friends, neighbours, the police and other organisations that deal with the abused, as well as online service for survivors of violence.”
The organisation shared tips on how women and children can protect themselves from abuse, and where they can go to get help.
• Identify a neighbour, friend, relative, colleague or shelter to go to in case you need to leave the house immediately for safety.
• Have a plan for how you will exit the house safely and how you will reach your destination.
• Keep a few essential items, such as identification documents, phone, money, medicine and clothes, available. Have a list of telephone numbers in case of an emergency.
• If possible, develop a code with a trusted neighbour so they can come to your aid in case of an emergency.
• Helpful national hotlines you can call: national GBV helpline 0800 150 150, South African Police Services 10111, Childline South Africa 0800 055 555
Places you can go to for help
• Go to the nearest police station.
• Go to your local social workers who can assist by finding you and the children a shelter/place of safety.
• If you have been hurt physically, seek medical attention.
If you know of, or are concerned about someone in an abusive relationship here’s what you can do
• Keep in touch with the person to check if they are safe. Ensure if it is safe for them to be in touch with you by assuming that a perpetrator of violence can see, hear and or monitor communications, so find out how best to communicate with the person that you are concerned about.
• Send them an SMS or a message via email or social media. Be discrete in connecting with them when the abuser is present in the home, so that they are not placed at risk of additional harm.
• Find out what services are offered for survivors of violence against women (such as shelters, hotlines, counselling services, and women’s organisations) are functioning during the pandemic, and make this information available through your networks and social media. Only provide this information directly if you can do so discretely without the abuser finding out.
• If someone you know needs urgent help for whatever reason, be prepared to call emergency health services, the police, health center or a hotline.
For more information on the services Kidz Clinic offers, contact the centre on 011 892 0404.
Also Read: 16 Days of Activism: What you need to know
Also Read: 16 Days of Activism – Stop the Abuse