Friday, 16 April saw more than 300 teddy bears that Matla A Bana received from Japsnoet Educational Centre being handed over to the Gauteng Forensic Social Workers at Afrique Boutique Hotel in Ruimsig.
Japsnoet Educational Centre mobilised the parents to give some love to others who need it most, and make the world a better place for the young victims of sexual abuse.
The Gauteng Forensic Social Workers work within the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units (FCS) that consist of dedicated members that go beyond the call of duty to ensure that survivors of these heinous crimes – rape, murder and child pornography – are treated with the utmost care to avoid secondary victimisation.
According to Matla A Bana Project Manager, Lizel Van Eeden, they have a national memorandum of understanding with the South African Police Service and one of their focuses is to support the FCS units, known by the community as the Child Protection Unit.
“These units all have forensic social workers, so what we have seen is that these forensic social workers need to build a relationship with the child. They are not the investigating officers but the additional person to assist a child,” said Lizel.
Also present at the venue was Mrs SA Finalist 2020, Marika Opperman who shared her views on the importance and effectiveness of comfort packs to victims of sexual violence.
“We are so grateful to Japsnoet Educational Centre for contributing to the comfort packs. It does take a community to support a community that is hurt and needs comfort.
“There are so many cases coming now after lockdown and we are so thankful for the donation. There is no better way than to give to your community and comfort a child.
“The comfort packs help the children to talk about what has happened to them, and it makes it easier for the police and social worker involved to work with the children and allow them to share their hurt,” said Marika.
Lieutenant Colonel SD Mntambo from the FCS Provincial office, and Lieutenant Colonel MP Khoza who is a Forensic Social Worker within the FCS, accepted the teddy bear donation and confirmed the effectiveness of these comfort packs for abused children.
“Matla A Bana is a support structure to us; especially when our children are being abused, we have to sit with a child and obtain a statement. Sometimes at first the child will not just open up to you because you are stranger.
“The teddy bears make it easier for the child to open up and establish a sense of trust and friendship,” said Lieutenant Colonel Mntambo.
