Vodacom tackles gender-based violence

Telecommunications company Vodacom hosted a virtual discussion based on the topic of gender-based violence for Women’s Month.

The conversation was facilitated by writer, poet and actress Lebogang Mashile and hosted by external affairs director for Vodacom South Africa Takalani Netshitenzhe. The event hosted panellists TV show host and inspirational speaker Masingita Masunga, Pan-African queer feminist Rosie Motene and operations manager at Frida Hartley Shelter for women Cheryl Hlabane.

Netshitenzhe said that the discussion is part of Vodacom’s lunch and learn sessions which were launched last year as part of the company’s gender-based violence awareness campaign. She added, “We decided to have these sessions is that our view is that gender-based violence should not only be highlighted during campaign months… Because it happens every minute, we need to talk about as regularly as possible.”

She added that the company has a multi-faceted approach which includes partnerships with government and civil society to focus on prevention, response and victim support. The discussion also saw the announcement of Masingita Masunga’s appointment as the Vodacom Foundation’s ambassador. Masunga said, “I think its a historic move, for a person with a disability, being named the ambassador of a huge brand.”

Motene shared their experiences of abuse in her life but also her thoughts on abuse within the television and media industry in South Africa. She added, “The shift is ambiguous so that people are understanding that this is a crisis, so that’s great. “But people need to understand the implications and responsibilities that are attached to that. So if you’re going to be an organisation, and you’ll be supporting women, make sure you have that mechanism’s in place.”

Hlabane shared her experiences at the Frida Hartley Shelter for Women and how support can be given to the organisation. She said that in the ideal world which supports survivors of abuse would involve government providing adequate funding for an organisation who can assist. The discussion saw the panellists discussing the various forms of trauma experienced by survivors of abuse, the mechanisms that assist abusers and the issues in leaving abusive relationships while taking questions from the live audience.

Details: www.vodacom.co.za