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RWA Statement on 16-365 days of activism against acts of Violence Against Women and Girls

STATEMENT FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

 10 December  2021

MEN IN SOUTH AFRICA ARE WAGING WAR AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS.

In the five-year period between 2015 and 2020, a total of 13,815 women over the age of 18 years were murdered, according to the South African Police Service (SAPS). That’s an average of 2,763 murders a year, or about seven women a day. We simply are NOT SAFE in South Africa. 

In October we saw shocking statistics that girls aged 9 and 10 accounts for 688 births in South Africa and that 34 587 babies were born to girls aged 17 and under. This speaks of a rape culture that goes unaccounted for. According to the latest estimates, nearly 1 in 3 women aged 15 years and older, around the world have been subjected to physical or sexual violence by an intimate partner, non-partner or both, at least once in their lifetime, indicating that levels of Violence Against Women and Girs(VAWG) have remained largely unchanged over the last decade. 

In addition to the impact of COVID-19, the global context of violent conflicts and humanitarian crises, including climate-related disasters, are affecting more people than ever before, with a disproportionate impact on women and girls, perpetuating all forms of VAWG. Rural women and girls are amongst the most affected. The cost of living has increased along with joblessness in the spate of COVID infections. Continued cases of COVID have also forced women to be locked up with their perpetrators. The plight for women is increasingly worsening.

The violence that we experience in South Africa also has its roots in the deep economic crisis in the country. Statistics South Africa in its third-quarter report tells us that unemployment is peaking at over 45%, which has created deepening poverty, hunger, and criminality. Criminality and the rise of “black markets” that are selling drugs, alcohol and gang culture are drawing thousands of young men into its bowels. 

In most farming communities, women’s survival is tied to a man- either the farmer or their husband. The farmer is the gatekeeper to a job, the gatekeeper to resources for a sustainable livelihood and the gatekeeper to accessing to resources in times of emergency. Moreover, being married ties you to the farmworker quarters; if you decide to leave your husband, you also make the unfortunate choice of leaving the farm as these two options do not co-exist for farmworker women. 

So our demands are clear:

Women should no longer be expected to be submissive and exclusive caregivers. Economic independence will give women more freedom to make choices that are not linked to a partner. One of the ways for rural women to obtain economic freedom is access to sufficient productive land. This is our demand.

Most GBV support focus is on urban areas. Shelters and support in rural communities to support GBV survivors is non-existent.  Challenges with access to justice- police, courts etc remain a huge issue for rural women. This needs to change. We demand safe homes, laws that will give rural women access to justice. 

Men need to be part of the dialogue on Violence against Women and Girls. Men are hiding behind, “it’s not me”, but would not dare to call out and support their mother, sister or friend in cases of abuse. We need men to stand up and be part of the solution. #HeForShe 

We need a Judicial System that works for us. “Not enough evidence”,  “Innocent till proven guilty” are all principles that leave women no option but to live alongside their perpetrators, as rapists are not deterred by the law. The law in South Africa favours men. If this is not true, why are rapists released on bail, or walk scot-free after servicing a short prison sentence? We demand no bail. We demand a speedy court case in cases of Violence against Women and girls. We demand a minimum to life sentence must be handed down.

Women’s Mental Health is Important. The mere act of Violence against Women and Girls does not end with the act. It continues with the continued harassment of an untouched criminal living in your home or community. Its continues with a judicial system that fails you. It continues with the continued mocking and finger-pointing of women after they report incidences of violence against them. It continues in cycles that could lead to multiple experiences of violence. Women are suffering from PTSD (Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder) not being adequately supported by services to support them through the trauma of their ordeal.

Call their names. Men are protected by the law, with their names not mentioned until they are proven guilty by a court of law. Instead, men are rewarded for their sexual escapades- Mayor of Kannaland as one recent example. We need to call out the men who meet violence against women and girls. Our silent protection of perpetrators of Violence against Women and Girls need to stop.

#MyBodyNotYourCrimeScene #EnoughIsEnough #WarOnWomenEndsHere #365DaysOfActivism

This year, 16 days of activism will be the last of its kind, as we call for 365 days of meaningful activism against acts of Violence against Women and Girls.

Womandla!