iThemba hosts seminar on violence
iThemba Rape and Trauma Support Centre hosted a seminar on violence and trauma at its centre, on Saturday, March 28.
The seminar consisted of two parts, each covering different forms of violence.
Sharol Naidoo (iThemba board member) spoke about bullying in schools and its effects on children.
She showed what bullying entails, how it affects children and how to reduce it.
She explained how bullying differs among boys and girls, spoke about the sometimes fatal consequences of bullying and presented several case studies.
“Teasing, mean jokes, threats, gossip, exclusion and physical, sexual or emotional abuse are all factors that bring down a person’s self-esteem and can lead to psychological damage,” said Naidoo.
Rose Maja (iThemba public relations officer) spoke about rape and the trauma associated with it.
She gave advice on how to handle the situation directly after a rape, in order to preserve evidence as far as possible, and demonstrated the items included in a rape kit and their functionality, as well as what to do and what not to do as a rape victim.
Furthermore, Maja said, the trauma after rape influences the lives of victims strongly and she presented case studies of rape victims, both female and male.
“Many rape victims don’t come out because of the stigma, but we, at iThemba Rape and Trauma Support Centre, encourage them to do so, because of HIV and to catch the perpetrator,” she added.
This was the centre’s first seminar of the year; the next will be held in June, as this is a semi-annual event.
For more information contact Maja on 071 526 5225 or 011 425 0267.
