Fight against abuse intensifies
JOHANNESBURG – The foundation aims to raise awareness and promote a message of intolerance and action against violence against women and children
Community members can play a vital role in preventing abuse against women and children across the country if they can be more organised and alert.
This according to Dr Shaheda Omar, clinical director at the Teddy Bear Foundation (TBF), who spoke at the announcement of the foundation’s ‘Stay Safe, Stay Alert’ campaign.
The campaign coincided with the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children currently underway.
Dr Omar said the aim of their campaign is to bring communities together to say no to violence against women and children at all times.
“There must be zero tolerance for violence – we need to move from being bystanders to being an active society,” she said.
“We have partnered with a number of influential community organisations and individuals who are also on the same quest as the TBF to eradicate women and child abuse, as well as gender-based violence. It is time we come together in fighting the pandemic faced by our communities.”
She said the foundation sets to reach out to communities around Johannesburg during this year’s national 16 Days of Activism Against Violence of Women and Children, which kick-started on 25 November and will run until 10 December.
Dr Omar said during this period there will be talks on how to stay safe and alert at all times. She added that the aim is to raise awareness and promote a message of intolerance and action against violence against women and children.
At a recent meeting in Soweto, the foundation educated the community on the positive disciplines of children.
Dr Omar said it was emphasised that instead of being punitive one needed to look at other forms of discipline. “There was initial resistance by the parents but after some discussion, they realised the importance of communicating with their children.
“They realised that there are more long-term benefits with this approach such as things like corporal punishment at home being more harmful than helpful.”
The foundation’s approach is ‘spare the rod and save the child’ and Dr Omar added that children live by what they see and experience. “Hence, the violent approach perpetuates the cycle of abuse.”
The Teddy Bear Foundation is encouraging people to come out and talk about this prevalence of violence against women and children through a series of talks the foundation is hosting at venues across Gauteng.
Details: Mbalenhle Ngema mbalenhle@gritstrategy.com; 011 280 6641.
