WATCH: Police launch 16 Days of Activism campaign
The campaign is commemorated annually from November 25 to December 10.
The Crystal Park and Etwatwa police have pledged to fight domestic violence and sexual-related crimes in their respective policing precincts following the launch of the 16 Days Of Activism against Gender-Based Violence campaign.
To mark the occasion, both police stations held awareness marches on November 25 and November 28 to encourage the public to take a stand against the scourge of gender-based violence.
Local non-governmental organisations, CPF, patrollers and the department of social development social workers took part in the marches.
This year’s national theme for the campaign is ‘Socio-economic rights and empowerment to build women’s resilience against gender-based violence and femicide.’
The national campaign will run until December 10.
VIDEO:
In line with the fight against GBV, Fidelity ADT offered the following pointers for women to discuss and share:
• Trust your instincts. Women have great intuition and should listen to their instincts. If someone or something makes you feel uneasy, avoid the individual and leave the area.
• Ask your private security service provider if they offer a mobile panic alarm service, which could be downloaded to your mobile phone.
• Tell someone where you are going and the time you expect to return. Save to your mobile phone or memorise the details of the person to be contacted in the event of an emergency.
• Be aware of people around you when heading to your vehicle, especially at places such as shopping centres or petrol stations. Ensure that you take a moment to check the street before pulling into a driveway, be it your own or a friend’s.
• If you are driving, the first thing to do once you are inside your vehicle is to ensure that all the doors are locked. Never drive with a handbag or valuable items on a seat or in the view of anyone looking into your vehicle.
• Find out from your security company if they offer a mobile tracking app that can be downloaded on your child’s cell phone. This is an effective way of alerting emergency service providers when you need them while also giving them your accurate location.
Also Read: Opinion: Is 16 Days of Activism enough?
Also Read: Crystal Park SAPS kicks off 16 days of activism