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Wits students march in solidarity with Silent Protest

Hundreds of Witwatersrand University students marched on campus on Wednesday in support of and in solidarity the a silent protest highlighting sexual violence on campus.

“In the build-up to this event‚ we have had a couple of discussions and debates on campus around issues of consent and rape culture and what people understand around those issues‚´ said Lerato Makate‚ one of the organisers of the Silent Protest.

“A lot of female students on different campuses have highlighted the fact that there is a plight around university’s lack of support around dealing with sexual violence properly on campus‚” Makate added.

Those gathered on Wednesday marched around the campus with tape over their mouths to symbolise those silenced by rape perpetrators.

Thando Twala‚ a student at Wits‚ said she was here to support those who have been victimised.

 “I’m in support of this protest because of the high statistics we have in South Africa around sexual violence against women especially since we had the silence protest at the IEC [results operations centre in Pretoria] where silent protesters supported Khwezi for being exiled because she was not in position of power and for me that really hit home because I have a friend that was sexually abused‚” said Twala.

After the protest‚ the students lay flat on the ground and embarked on a five-minute “die-in” symbolising the lives lost during sexual violence.

 

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