Say no to gender-based violence

As the 16 Days of Activism campaign gets underway in the whole of South Africa, each community must decide how to tackle sexual violence. The residents of Diepsloot have used the opportunity to make the decision to say enough is enough.

The Diepsloot Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Forum held a march against the scourge of violence against women and children on 29 November when participants walked from Ext 7 of the informal settlement to Ext 2. After the march, residents gathered at the park on Ingonyama Road for a community dialogue on the matter,. non-profit organisations set up stalls to provide people with information, and hundreds signed a petition to demand more support for rape victims in the area. This is the second such event organised by the forum, as back in May another march was organised.

At the park, a number of organisations including the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (Sadag), Lawyers Against Violence (LvA), Men’s Ambassadors, Lifeline, and the police were present to engage with the community.

“We’re here to say enough is enough,” said Brown Lekekela, who single-handedly runs the Green Door Women’s Shelter in Diepsloot West and who led marchers through Diepsloot streets. “The president said [earlier this year, when he publicly addressed GBV] that R1 billion would be spent on fighting GBV. We want to see the money spread across the country where it is needed.”

He hoped that the event would help community members become more aware of organisations that can provide support to sexual and domestic violence survivors, encourage a culture reporting of crimes to police and even encourage men to join the fight against GBV as well. He also hoped that the community would, in turn, support non-profits who need funds to continue their work and that an open conversation would motivate victims to find support.

“Surviving violence is not just a case of reporting the crime and then being fine,” he explained.

“You will still have to deal with things and I’d encourage people to join support groups and get help to heal.”

One option to do this is to join the Sadag group launched in the informal settlement in October by Nono Maseko, which offers support to rape victims with a particular focus on post-traumatic stress disorder. The group meets once a month at the Sadag counselling container across the road from the Diepsloot Police Station and participation is free.

“The support group has been going well,” said Maseko, who was also at the park. “Today is about remembering the 16 Days of Activism campaign and we also aim to bring a post-rape medical clinic to Diepsloot, as now victims need to travel to the one in Krugersdorp.”

In order to encourage the government to build this necessary facility, a petition was available during the event for community members to sign. “We want to shine a light on post-care for victims,” explained Rethabile Mosese of LvA. “That’s why the petition calls for a post-rape medical clinic in Diepsloot. Women here have a right to health, they have a right to healthcare, and we want the government to be accountable on what the president has promised.”

She added that members of the public are welcome to get involved with assisting the GBV forum in any way they could, as the organisation was in its infancy and needed support.

Details: Green Door Women’s Shelter: Brown Lekekela 065 247 3643; brownlekekela@gmail.com

Sadag support group: Nono Maseko nonnie@anxiety.org.za; 083 649 8639.

Diepsloot GBV Forum: Rethabile Mosese rethabile.mosese@lva.org.za

Related Article: 

https://www.citizen.co.za/fourways-review/312646/south-africas-shocking-gender-based-violence-statistics/