Cape Town – At the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence against Women and Children, Independent Media launched its #DontLookAway campaign.
Celebrities have pledged their support by painting their index fingernails orange, in line with the UN’s global UNiTE to End Violence Against Women initiative.
I support the Don’t Look Away Campaign because that’s exactly it, we can’t look away and hope abuse will stop. We all need to do whatever it takes to help, we can’t wait till it happens to us, before we truly start caring and speaking up. – Tanya Van Graan Kristoffersen (actress, singer and model).
I strongly believe if you know better you can do better. So many woman and children suffer in silence. They need a voice, to be heard, to be encouraged, to be supported. We have a duty to completely squelch violence towards the vulnerable. – Carishma Basday (actress, model and yogi)
I feel very strongly about abuse especially of women and children. There is no equality, no balance and no measures to protect victims. The biggest challenge is that we shy away from confrontation. We each have a responsibility to speak out against woman and child abuse. – Diaan Lawrenson (actress and producer)
Abuse in something that happens somewhere in the shadows. And people quietly accept it. I lend my voice to say it is okay, you are not alone. You are heard and validated. – Kamini Pather (winner of Master Chef 2013, food blogger and host of food-travel show #GirlEatWorldTV.
We have begun a dialogue. I grew up in a community were abuse was very rife. Even in my broader family, abuse was very prevalent. I saw how it ravaged families. Spread the word: You don’t have to be afraid to speak out, afraid to say "I come from this". You don’t have to be afraid to say “look what this person has done to me”. When you expose something you allow people the opportunity to help you and deal with the situation. I am done with turning a blind eye. – Leigh Anne Williams (TV and radio personality, MC and model)
Cape Argus
