Community encouraged to use resources available to them
Makause informal settlement residents were taught more about gender-based violence through campaign.
Gender-based violence has been a hot topic in headlines across the globe in recent weeks.
But what is gender-based violence?
Gender-based violence or violence against women (as the terms are often used interchangeably) is described as violence that is inflicted by men against women and girls.
However, men can also be victims of gender-based violence.
ALSO READ:
Man allegedly attacks girlfriend
To address this sensitive topic in Primrose, a team, spearheaded by the Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services, visited the Makause informal settlement on Thursday to hold a door-to-door campaign.
The team was made up of representatives from the Bertha Gxowa Hospital, Ekurhuleni South social workers, Primrose Crime Prevention Youth Desk, SAPS, Aurum Institute, National Association of People Living with HIV and Aids (NAPWA), HTI, the office of the MEC for community safety and Ward 21 committee and the Kitso Lesedi Youth Development, to name a few.
Hazel Moagi, from the Bertha Gxowa Hospital and Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services and Nditsheni Rattshitanga, co-ordinator of the Ekurhuleni South social workers, spoke to the GCN about what they hoped to achieve through the campaign.
“As part of our work at the Ekurhuleni Clinical Forensic Medical Services we hold campaigns to educate the community in our catchment area,” explained Moagi.
“We are here to make the community aware of gender-based violence issues and to educate them and advise them where they can go if they need help.”
She hopes that campaigns like this will help the number of gender-based cases decrease.
Rattshitanga hoped that the campaign would encourage the community to use the resources available to them when they need help.
“There are resources that are in place to help the community and through the campaign we will teach the community how to use them.
“We are hoping that after our visit to Makause we will see more community members reporting gender-based crimes because we find that victims are scared to report these types of crimes.
“But we want them to feel empowered to take a stand and know that there are people in the community that will support them,” she said.
The enthusiastic team moved through the settlement on foot, interacting with residents and offering guidance.
The team was pleased with the outcome of the campaign and will continue to educate the city’s residents through similar campaigns.
Watch:
Have a story?
Contact the newsroom by emailing: Melissa Hart (Editor) germistoncitynews@caxton.co.zaor Leigh Hodgson (News Editor) leighh@caxton.co.za.
Remember to visit the Germiston City News on the following social media platforms:
Or add the GCN on WhatsApp 079 406 1181 or BBM (BBM Pin: 7F102137) today, to get all the latest news.
Catch-up on more local news with our sister newspapers Bedfordview Edenvale News, Alberton Record and Kempton Express.
