Tomorrow marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children campaign.
This year we celebrate the 19th anniversary of the campaign in our country.
We acknowledge the invaluable contributions made by the Centre for Women’s Global Leadership (CWGL) of New Jersey, US, which collectively brainstormed the concept of the 16 Days of Activism campaign. This year also marks the 27th anniversary of the campaign globally.
The CWGL proceeded to cement its efforts globally in calling on the 1993 UN Conference on Human Rights to demand that “gender violence, a universal phenomenon which takes many forms across culture, race and class, be recognised as a violation of human rights requiring immediate action”.
This had the effect of having various nations embrace and recognise this human rights violation against women, children and other vulnerable groups
During this anniversary, we need to ask ourselves: Does this campaign contribute to the prevention of violence against women and children?
We know that not a single day goes by without reports of the scourge of violence against women and children.
In our years of struggle during the apartheid era, as youths we turned to our mothers for strength and comfort, and as adults we protected our children in order for them to take up the fight against our oppressors.
Now, as more than 23 years of democracy has passed, it appears as if some who are fathers, brothers and sons have forgotten the value of these pillars in our community.
It also appears as if women and children are seen as objects against which these fathers, brothers and sons can exert their anger and frustration.
Just as we have not given up the Struggle for freedom and democracy before 1994, we should not give up today’s struggle against the oppression of women and children.
Today we fight a different battle, a battle of violence against the most vulnerable among us: our mothers, sisters, wives and daughters.
The South African Board for Sheriffs has resolved to advance its participation during this year’s 16 Days of Activism campaign.
We are making a rallying call to all sheriffs to mobilise sectors of society to stand up and be counted in the fight to end violence against women and children and thus move a non-violent South Africa forward. We call on sheriffs to first take individual responsibility before being part of the collective.
We also call on men, parents, caregivers and a united community to take a stand against all forms of abuse.
As the South African Board for Sheriffs, we recognise that women, children and other vulnerable groups are survivors of serious human rights violations as a result of gender-based violence.
The right of women to equality, human dignity, freedom, security of person, and other freedoms contained in the Bill of Rights in our constitution requires the continued assertion by all. The emancipation of women, including their financial freedom, also remains a cardinal goal.
The 16 Days campaign this year must have a greater focus
on mobilising and partnering with men to assist in the eradication
of violence against women and
children.
We have all been taught the old adage: Charity begins at home. This is what lies at the heart of our 16 Days of Activism campaign.
We therefore call on all fathers, brothers and sons to take a stand against the war being waged against our women and children in our homes and communities.
Men can no longer be passive bystanders. It is time to confront and hold to account the abusive actions of their peers. Now is the time for men to make their voices heard and declare publicly that enough is enough.
It is high time that the fight against abuse be led by young men and boys, as all too often, the activists against gender-based violence are women.
It is imperative that men become responsible father figures so as to instil the values of human dignity, equality and respect for women in young men and boys in an effort to mentor and teach boys how to be men in ways that do not involve degrading or abusing girls and women.
As officers of the court, we are aware that domestic violence touches the lives of all ages, leaving a devastating impact on women, men and children of every background and circumstance.
A family’s home becomes a place of fear, hopelessness and desperation when a woman is battered by her partner, a child witnesses the abuse of a loved one or a senior citizen is victimised by family members.
We are aware that there are many thousands of applications for protection orders being withdrawn by applicants.
The most prevalent forms of abuse are emotional, verbal and psychological abuse, followed closely by physical abuse.
Let’s ask ourselves: Why do victims of domestic violence who apply for protection orders against their abusers not return to court to finalise those orders or withdraw their application?
At our public meetings recently, women expressed fear of reprisal from their abusers and indicated their financial dependency on husbands, fathers, partners and family members. This increased their vulnerability and almost forced them to remain in abusive relationships, resulting in rape, incest and even murder.
It is for this reason that many victims are reluctant to take action against their abusers.
Even after reporting the matter to the police, many still request the withdrawal of protection orders.
It is clear that women are still victims of patriarchal attitudes, and are subordinate to men in social and personal relationships. Male perpetrators receive “patriarchal peer support” from friends, which helps them to justify their crimes.
As a board and as sheriffs we cannot sit back and view gender-based violence as a personal issue between the victim and perpetrator - it is a human rights violation, and if we turn a blind eye and allow it to persist, it makes us equally complicit.
We will therefore continue, collaboratively, to work together with civic organisations, NGOs and community members to ensure that no woman ever struggles alone. Let us pledge that, working together side by side, we will emerge victorious in the struggle against sexual and gender-based violence.
* Mabuza is chair and Mohamed deputy chair of the South African Board for Sheriffs