Women in prayer urged to report abuse
“We are calling on men to also report abuse to the police and allow the law to take its course,” she says.
Tsakane – Church women were called to speak out and report abuse during a prayer meeting on Thursday.
Members of Tsakane SAPS Social Crime Prevention Unit, Communication and Victim Empowerment Centre joined women from different congregations in their usual Thursday prayer.
The initiative was themed ‘Izwelonke (whole nation) women of prayer’ and was held at African Church, Extension One, Tsakane.
Tsakane police spokesperson Sergt Lerato Mngomezulu says the purpose of the visit was to sensitise church women to the dangers of keeping quiet when experiencing abuse either themselves or when seeing their families or neighbours going through it.
The attendees were taken through the different forms of abuse and the process of reporting it to the police.
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“We have identified that a lot of people still don’t know the channels of reporting the cases to the police or they shy away because they are afraid of being judged.
“Society also needs to understand that it’s not only women who are abused but men as well.
“We are calling on men to also report abuse to the police and allow the law to take its course,” she says.
Mngomezulu told the victims that once a case has been opened they should see it through until the courts rule on it.
“We are seeing an increase of cases reported and withdrawn within a few days,” she explains.
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