"One in three women in South Africa have been raped," was the stark reminder from the International Fight Against Rape (IFAR), an International Global Pact student project.
"One in three women in South Africa have been raped," was the stark reminder from the International Fight Against Rape (IFAR), an International Global Pact student project.
This shocking statistic was re-adressed at an IFAR campaign meeting at Ndancama Community Hall on Monday.
The IFAR strives to raise rape awareness and hopes to achieve this by distributing printed t-shirts with the slogan "This stops now!" to people throughout Grahamstown’s communities.
The International Fight Against Rape started when three students from Rhodes University, Phaphama Magqwashe, Masixole Ntshiba and Lusapho Mvula joined forces with Allison Holstein and Jenna Jones from Northeastern University in Boston, USA.
Their aim is to prevent rape from taking place and to provide support for the victims in Grahamstown. After extensive research to see what needed to be done, the group felt that rape is very much still a major issue.
With many rape awareness programmes such as Gender Action Project (Gap) and Men as Partners (Map), the campaign distinguishes itself by trying to find a solution by engaging with the community to find relevant solutions.
Their first campaign at Ndancama Hall proved to be a success when community members young and old gathered to debate the causes of rape in their community and try to find solutions. T-shirts were distributed to all those who attended, which will also be sold in America for $22.
R1000 has already been raised and the proceeds will be donated to the Grahamstown rape crisis centre at the Grahamstown police station.
Phaphama Magqwashe a Rhodes University Global Pact organiser said, "We want to involve the community to establish security groups and a future date will be set to also start support groups for victims". He emphasised that they hope to instil fear in rape perpetrators.
Although the project is at its beginning stages and this as the first community campaign, they are calling to all members of the community to get involved to help fight, and understand why rape still happens.
