Cape Town – In the build-up to the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children Campaign, the organisation 1000 Women Trust has asked women who have suffered abuse at local police stations to share their painful experiences.
The organisation also encouraged women’s groups to add impetus to the #HearMeToo campaign by organising their own #HearMeToo events.
The 16 Days campaign, which runs from November 25 to December 10, inspires citizens to become active participants in the fight to eradicate violence against women and children.
The government is to convene a series of dialogues focusing on the problem, where discussion on the causes of the violence, and appropriate solutions to it, will be held.
The 1000 Women Trust has offered to facilitate events through the
sharing of manuals via its website at www.hearmetoo.co.za.
Organisation founder-member Tina Thiart said a few months ago most police stations did not have rape kits, used to gather physical evidence in cases of sexual assault.
“Police must do their work; they must follow up on cases. Without them, we have no court. We as women demand the police to do what is right,” she said.
The high incidence of violence against women and children has rocked the country, with mass
protests held recently.
Among the cases of violence was the rape and murder of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana. Luyanda Botha, convicted of raping and murdering her, has received three life sentences.
A suspect who is alleged to have murdered UWC student Jesse Hess, 19, and her 85-year-old grandfather Chris Lategan was arrested recently and is expected in the Bellville Magistrate’s Court today.
Statistics SA’s 2016/2017 Victims of Crime report indicated that 250 out of every 100 000 women were victims of sexual assault, compared to 120 out of every 100 000 men.
Speaking on the high incidence of femicide this week, President Cyril Ramaphosa welcomed Botha’s sentence. “The three life sentences handed down to the rapist and killer of UCT student Uyinene Mrwetyana by the Western Cape High Court are befitting of this heinous crime.
“The pain we felt as a nation at the brutal killing of Uyinene, of Jesse Hess, of Leighandre Jegels, of Janika Mallo, and of the many other slain women and children remains fresh. We dare not rest,” he said.
“The violence perpetrated by men against women remains a scourge and national crisis that we must act against urgently to end.”
Police would allocate 312 police recruits, who were currently undergoing basic training, to the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences units, Ramaphosa said.
Women’s organisations and those wishing to share their experiences can contact [email protected]