The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, which began on Monday, highlights the ongoing battle against gender-based violence (GBV) and child abuse. This year's theme, “30 Years of advancing collective action to end violence against women and children", marks a significant milestone, underscoring the progress made since the end of apartheid in SA and the country's democratic transition.
Yet, despite these advancements, the statistics paint a grim picture, revealing that SA still faces a severe crisis of violence against women and children.
One would be excused for thinking that this special period of awareness against GBV is an SA initiative. In reality, the United Nations launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign in 1991, three years before our democracy. Its global reach emphasises that violence against women and children is a universal issue, but the SA situation remains especially dire.
According to a recent study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), it is not yet Uhuru for SA women.
Up to 7- million women in SA have experienced physical violence at the hands of men, and more than 2-million have survived sexual abuse. These statistics are chilling, showing that women and girls, especially young women in the 18 to 39 age group, are the most affected. The reality is that no woman is truly safe.
The latest quarterly crime statistics released by the SA Police Service yesterday offer a mixed picture. While the overall picture shows a slight decline in incidences of murder, rape and sexual attack crimes against women and children, on a year-to-year basis, the numbers of these crimes are still disturbingly high.
A particularly alarming statistic is the 16% increase in attempted sexual assaults, which is the highest increase of any form of crime in the past year.
This highlights the persistent and growing threat of GBV, despite the national focus during these 16 Days of Activism.
The message is clear: the 16 Days of Activism campaign is crucial, but still not enough to eradicate violence against women and children.
It is clear that a sustained effort is required. This calls for not just awareness but a deep and sustained collective commitment to creating real, lasting change.
SowetanLIVE
SOWETAN SAYS | More effort needed to combat GBV
Image: 123RF
The 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children, which began on Monday, highlights the ongoing battle against gender-based violence (GBV) and child abuse. This year's theme, “30 Years of advancing collective action to end violence against women and children", marks a significant milestone, underscoring the progress made since the end of apartheid in SA and the country's democratic transition.
Yet, despite these advancements, the statistics paint a grim picture, revealing that SA still faces a severe crisis of violence against women and children.
One would be excused for thinking that this special period of awareness against GBV is an SA initiative. In reality, the United Nations launched the 16 Days of Activism campaign in 1991, three years before our democracy. Its global reach emphasises that violence against women and children is a universal issue, but the SA situation remains especially dire.
According to a recent study by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), it is not yet Uhuru for SA women.
Up to 7- million women in SA have experienced physical violence at the hands of men, and more than 2-million have survived sexual abuse. These statistics are chilling, showing that women and girls, especially young women in the 18 to 39 age group, are the most affected. The reality is that no woman is truly safe.
The latest quarterly crime statistics released by the SA Police Service yesterday offer a mixed picture. While the overall picture shows a slight decline in incidences of murder, rape and sexual attack crimes against women and children, on a year-to-year basis, the numbers of these crimes are still disturbingly high.
A particularly alarming statistic is the 16% increase in attempted sexual assaults, which is the highest increase of any form of crime in the past year.
This highlights the persistent and growing threat of GBV, despite the national focus during these 16 Days of Activism.
The message is clear: the 16 Days of Activism campaign is crucial, but still not enough to eradicate violence against women and children.
It is clear that a sustained effort is required. This calls for not just awareness but a deep and sustained collective commitment to creating real, lasting change.
SowetanLIVE
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