STOP! Violence against Women and Children

South Africa is the country with the highest number of cases of violence against women in the world.

In South Africa 40% of men have beaten their partners and one in four has committed sexual crimes. Even if only 2% leads to charges being laid, violence against women is a growing phenomenon and as many as one woman in four has undergone beatings or abuse.

Women and children are susceptible to violence because of the culture of violence where many men believe that they are entitled to use violence against their partners and their children in order to compel compliance with whatever the man wants.

Violence against women takes many forms – physical, sexual, economic, psychological – but all of these represent a violation of human dignity and human rights and have lasting consequences both for women themselves and for their communities.

Gender-based violence knows no socioeconomic sector. It knows no educational sector. It is part and parcel of every part of our society, we can’t pinpoint one part of the community that is more exposed to it. It is. It crosses all barriers and all boundaries in our society. It’s not just, you know, the richer people or the poor people…It’s across the board.

WHAT IS ABUSE?

Any form of behaviour that causes:

• Fear
• Bodily harm
• A person to do things against their will

Examples of abuse:

• Emotional
• Rape
• Sexual Harassment
• Child Abuse
• Financial
• Physical Abuse
• DON’T BE A VICTIM!

BREAK THE CYCLE OF VIOLENCE:

• BREAK THE SILENCE
• KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
• ACT AGAINST ABUSE
• DO NOT LOOK AWAY!

We stand with and support all children and adults who have survived the trauma of experiencing violence in their lives. We raise our voice and say:

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!!!

The senseless and brutal killings of our women and children must STOP!

As communities, families and individuals, we too have a role to play to ensure safety and protection of our women and children. Let us hold each other accountable. Do not stand for any form of violence against women and children or any person for that matter. Report such incidences to the necessary authorities.

Stop Gender Violence Helpline Tel: 0800 150 150 SMS *120*7867# from any cell phone