KANYAMAZANE – Women and children continue to be treated as sex objects in society.
This was revealed at the Count Me In 365 Days of No Violence and Abuse event against immigrants and refugee women at the local community hall last Wednesday.
According to the director of the Foundation for Human Rights, Ms Sarah Motha, the aim of the dialogue was to give women a platform to speak their minds about issues of abuse.
“We have realised that a lot has happened in society, whereby, women and children are seen as sex objects and it’s very painful when you find out that the perpetrators are family members.
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“When the victims want to report the matter, the family protects the perpetrator because it’s a bread winner,” she explained.
Motha stated that during their next visit to the province, they will reach out to farm dwellers, as such abuse is at an alarming state.
“We have discovered that there is a need for Chapter Nine institutions to return to the province since a lot is happening in farms and the target is immigrants – people are taking advantage that they are in desperate situations and even when the immigrants are sexually abused, they keep quiet.
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“We are also going to pay more attention to the issue of child labour. It’s problematic and those children are underpaid – some are paid R200 at the end of the month,” she said.
The dialogue was welcomed by the local women as Ms Telamisile Dlamini said, “Such initiatives are very important because as women we get an opportunity to be empowered. We must support each other and stop the bad habit of laughing and gossiping about each other. When we are abused by our partners, we should instead encourage the victim to open a case so that she can get help.”
The chairperson of the civil society at Ehlanzeni region, Rev Luke Dlamini, said it’s about time that Christian communities get hands-on in fighting abuse and ask for God’s intervention.
