President Jacob Zuma on Friday took up the cause against abuse‚ pledging that his government is determined to use all resources at its disposal‚ to make the country safer for women and children.
"What is of serious concern is that most women are attacked by men they know and in most cases men they are intimate with - their husbands or partners‚" Zuma said. "We are losing more and more women at the hands of their violent intimate partners."
The president encouraged women to speak out‚ and not to accept abuse."The danger about living in an unattended violent relationship is that it intensifies over time until it leads to death.
"Violence against women has been declared a priority crime by government. Women must not be scared to report the perpetrators to the police."
Zuma was speaking at the launch of the National Dialogues on Violence Against Women and Children‚ and the Commemoration of the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children‚ Lebowakgomo Civic Centre‚ Limpopo Province.
About 27 dialogues have been lined up for the various parts of the Limpopo province‚ to engage the victims and perpetrators. The purpose is to use the information gathered and lessons learned‚ to prevent the abuse of women and children and to raise awareness. Zuma said they should also be held elsewhere in the country.
"Violence against women and children manifests itself openly in serious crimes such as murder‚ sexual assault‚ domestic violence‚ assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm or human trafficking.
"As we meet already there are horrific tales of violent attacks‚ such as the gang rape of a 13-year-old girl by 10 men in Nyanga‚ Cape Town.
"It is beyond comprehension that adult men can inflict such pain on a defenceless child. Other children are sexually molested at home by relatives in some cases. These are the types of incidents that should unite us all to say enough is enough.
"There are also cases of the abuse of girls in schools by teachers‚ some of whom even fall pregnant. Government appeals to parents and girls to report such teachers to the police and social workers.
"This conduct must not be tolerated. Statutory rape must be reported to the police as it is a serious crime against children."
Providing feedback on the Department of Social Development's 24-hour call centre‚ the Gender-based Violence Command Centre‚ Zuma said the centre deals with issues relating to domestic violence‚ rape‚ physical abuse‚ indecent assault‚ verbal abuse/intimidation‚ abandoned children and non-GBV cases. A majority of cases reported involve incidence of physical violence. The centre refers cases of violence to the police and to social workers.
"The call centre handles 1‚500 calls a day and these calls are handled by 40 social workers able to deal with the issues raised‚" Zuma said.
The president also took up cudgels for women who are sexually harassed in the workplace by male supervisors‚ calling this an abuse of their positions of power.
"The workplace must be made safe for women so that they can perform and be productive in an environment conducive for work.
"Women and children must be safe‚ and must feel safe in their country."
The president preached social tolerance too.
"We should in the same vein also step up our efforts in fighting sexually orientated violence perpetrated against lesbian‚ gay‚ bisexual‚ trans‚ and/or intersex people. They also deserve to be safe and feel safe‚ everywhere in the country‚" he said. Zuma urged South Africans to act when they encountered cases of abuse.
"Violence against women and children is not a private matter. It is everybody’s business. Neighbours must not keep quiet when they see or hear women or children being attacked or abused.
"Some families take a decision to hide the abuse of children to avoid embarrassment. These incidents must be reported to the police and social workers. Children deserve justice and protection."
