Crowdfunding drive launched to buy pepper spray for UCT students

Cape Town - A group of UCT students started a crowdfunding campaign to buy pepper spray for students following the recent violent attacks on women.

They have already given 740 women pepper spray cans.

Samantha Perkins and Zoar Lewis recently launched the campaign on BackaBuddy to stand up against violence towards women in South Africa.

Perkins said: “We have been inspired to begin this campaign mainly because of the painful circumstances that came with the murder and rape of our friend, Uyinene Mrwetyana.

“In general, we don’t feel safe around campus,” she said.

Perkins said they at least wanted to provide women with some form of safety to defend themselves.

We thought the most effective way this could be done in the meantime was to give pepper spray to women at the UCT campuses and around Cape Town.

“Young woman on campus experience various types of harassment when on the streets and campus such as minor aggressions like catcalling, inappropriate comments, sexist remarks, groping and non-consensual sex.

“This is just a part of our daily reality and its such a broad spectrum for us to say which type is more dominant,” said Perkins.

BackaBuddy marketing and PR officer Zane Groenewald said: “In a time where young women are fearful to go about their daily lives, we are reminded as a society that gender-based violence is a burden we all bear.

“Through the vehicle of crowdfunding, we are able to bring communities together to empower the vulnerable and create meaningful social change. Every donation to the #IWillNotBeNext campaign echoes that women need to be valued, protected and cherished in our society. Enough is enough.”

“We would also like to reiterate that our work cannot end here and urge everyone to keep donating and sharing,” he said.

Support this campaign on BackaBuddy by donating here: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/hernamewasnene.