Bikers to unite against rape and abuse
Bikers ride against rape and abuse on Women’s Day in support of the Epic Foundation.
Bikers from as far as Bloemfontein will partake in the second annual Bikers Against Rape and Abuse event taking place on the August 9 which is Women’s Day.
The event will see bikers from various clubs ride from Brakpan via the South of Johannesburg, Midrand, and the R21, ending at the Springs Rugby Club.
The bikers event is in support of the Epic Foundation which is a Gauteng-based foundation founded by Alta McMaster at the beginning of 2013.
Having experienced various traumas in her own life, Alta has a deep understanding of how lonely and helpless one can feel if nobody reaches out a helping hand.
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That encouraged her to provide that helping hand to others in the form of assisting with the empowerment of survivors of trauma.
She has been managing projects for rape survivors and others in the Gauteng area since 2011.
Specifically, she manages the Comfort Pack Project working with a range of centres from small victim empowerment centres that are linked to police stations to larger rape crisis/trauma centres.
As the need for this project grew, the Epic Foundation was established to serve the Gauteng community better.
In 2017 the event had 400 bikers who took part in the ride and saw over 1 000 people at the finish line, the attendees saying they want to put an end to rape and abuse.
The ride was free of charge and the bikers went around to raise awareness.
This year, however, there will be a charge of R60 that will include a badge.
All proceeds will go to the Epic Foundation to be used to get items for the comfort bags that are supplied to the rape victims.
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These bags include a few essentials that will assist the victims after their ordeal.
The organiser of Bikers Against Rape and Abuse, Eugene van Straten, says they aim to grow this event to eventually have it in different cities so as to reach a bigger audience and create more awareness around this plague.
He also says they would like to assist clinics in various areas, including Tsakane, that receive approximately three to five rape victims daily.
They hope to enable them to employ trained staff and acquire the necessary facilities to give these victims the care they need.
On the day of the event, the riders will start at 7am and ride to their final destination where family and friends, as well as other supporters of the initiative, will meet them.
People who are not bikers are more than welcome to join as it will be a family fun day with entertainment for children, live music, food and clothing stalls and many more to keep the whole family entertained.
There will also be prizes for the largest biker club and supporters.
The MEC of social development, Nandi Mayathula-Khoza, says: “Let’s hold hands and stop violence against vulnerable women and innocent children.”
If you would like to donate to the Epic Foundation, visit www.epicfoundation.org.za or visit the
Bikers Against Rape and Abuse Facebook page.
Contact Eugene van Straten on 079 779 2008 for more details about the event.
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