The 16 Days of Activism Against Abuse campaign was launched on Wednesday and runs until 10 December.
The 16 Days of Activism Against Abuse campaign was launched on Wednesday and runs until 10 December.
This campaign focuses primarily on generating awareness around the negative impact violence has on women and children as well as society as a whole. This year’s theme is Don’t Look Away, Act Against Abuse and Grahamstown organisations are answering that call as they embark on training workshops with community members on issues surrounding domestic violence.
The Grahamstown branch of Famsa, in association with Ukulunga Kwethu Safe House, are running a three day training workshop from Wednesday where they are training 18 police officials from different stations on how to handle cases of domestic violence.
Famsa director Anne Harris (who is also facilitating the workshop) said that it is most important because the charge office is the first port of call for victims of domestic violence. Inspector Sherolene Williams, SAPS spokesperson agreed that there is a need to train the police because at times they do not have the know-how to deal with difficult cases of domestic violence.
Workshop participants will be taught the basics of counselling and Williams is confident that by the end of the course, each and every participant will be better able to help victims of abuse who need to be counselled.
Ukomeleza Abafazi, a community project affiliated with Famsa has also started running workshops with the black and coloured communities on issues of domestic violence. Project manager, Hilda Botha trained 22 women earlier in the year who are now qualified to run these workshops in groups.
Workshop facilitator Nolubabalo Ntshobodi found that a lot of people at the workshops did not fully understand what abuse is and what their rights are. She said that on average the workshops were attended by 30 people of varying ages and that they tend to be very emotional. Ukomeleza Abafazi will run their next workshop at Noncedo Preschool in Joza on Sunday starting at 2pm.
The Raphael Centre will give educational talks on domestic violence to the inmates at Grahamstown Correctional Centre next Wednesday said Nola Elliot, the centre’s director. She also said that they will be giving HIV tests on the day, marking International World Aids Day on 1 December.
Other activities during the campaign include a silent march from Noluthando Hall to the City Hall this morning from 10am where members of the SAPS, the departments of Health and Education as well as the Community Policing Forum will march to end violence against women and children. There will also be a sports festival tomorrow at Middle Terrace Tennis Courts starting from 9am where the youth will be included in the fight against abuse.
