#WomensMonth: Alleged Kloof femicide victim’s daughter speaks out

THIS year has been brutal for Lee-Anne King. Ever since discovering her mother’s body in her Kloof home in January, she and her brother Kyle have been trying to seek closure following their mum’s death, allegedly by femicide.

One issue which has become increasingly important to King is a need to do something about what she feels is a wave of attacks on women in the country.

This need has become even more apparent to her as the investigation and preliminary court case dealing with her mother’s death drags on and she visits the magistrates’ court again and again.

Victims need help

King said she has met numerous women at the court who have been attacked, and believes the system isn’t set up to help them, but rather puts them back in harm’s way.

ALSO READ: Slain Kloof grandmother’s memory celebrated by her family

She indicated to the long benches with victims and their attackers sitting outside the rooms where protection orders and domestic violence incidents are heard as evidence of the lack of services to help victims.

“This is the sort of situation every woman who is attacked at home has to face if she seeks justice,” she said, shaking her head in despair as she left the court after attending an appearance by a suspect relating to her mother’s death.

“It happens all the time, it happened to me, twice, and every day I hear of another woman who is attacked by someone who is supposed to care for them,” she said speaking this week from her home in Westville.

“In his SONA speech after the May elections, President Cyril Ramaphosa spoke at length about the need to end the gender-based violence which is too common in the country,” she said. “However nothing has happened to change the circumstances of the women who continue to be harmed and I believe there is a need for people to stand up and speak out in solidarity for all women, past and future.”

King believes the key to changing the reality of endemic gender-based violence is a change in the laws that govern the punishments which can be meted out on those who are found guilty of it.

Harsher penalties needed

King, a security manufacturing company owner,  has studied statistics of crime in the country.

She said there is a need to change the conditions under which people who are suspected of gender-based violence are held.

ALSO READ: Jenny King’s daughter relies on legacy of courage

She also believes there need to be harsher penalties for the crimes, and more pressure on magistrates to take the crime seriously rather than downgrading the charges to manslaughter, as often happens in cases where women are harmed by intimate partners.

“I’m increasingly becoming an activist, not just for the sake of my mother, but for the sake of every woman, every mother, and every girl child who will grow up and face the same dangers every woman faces simply by virtue of her gender,” she said. 

“I plan to speak up for those who cannot, and support those who have no one to support them. We need to stand in solidarity with every scared woman and girl who has been harmed, and say enough is enough!”

Women’s month

As part of her increased activism, King plans to spearhead a campaign of awareness and community-based action during August.

This, she hopes, will culminate in an event on her mother’s birthday where she and others will highlight the need for more attention to be placed on crimes against women.

“Watch this space!” she said this week. “We are going to be doing much more than just talking about this problem.”

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