Midrand SAPS together with Kyalami-based Church of Scientology South Africa launched 16 days of Activism against Gender-based Violence faced by women and children.
The launch happened on November 29 at the Kyalami Corner Shopping Centre. The United Nations campaign which is held annually will this year run from November 25 to December 10. The campaign is aimed at educating the community about the negative effects of GBV.
The two organisations also conducted a crime awareness campaign during the launch where they distributed pamphlets and addressed the community on various social ills including child and substance abuse.
In attendance were the crime prevention wardens, the victim empowerment centre team and some sector crime forum managers. Constable Thabo Maluleke, social crime prevention coordinator said the abuse of women and children needs to come to an end.
He said many women have been killed in the name of love or marriage. “Let’s live in peace and understand no human is owned by another whether in a relationship or marriage. We call upon society to respect and regard the human rights of all persons equally, same goes for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTIQ+) community members who are facing the stigma of being labelled and discriminated against in their communities,” said Maluleke.
Community Affairs director at the Church of Scientology, Alice Meiring, said the purpose was to educate the community about human rights and give them tools to combat human rights violations which may be a day-to-day occurrence for some of them in their homes or their schools.
“Some also found that the violence done to them is not something ‘they deserve’, as they may think, but that it is a violation of their human rights. It is also there to inspire them to become valuable advocates for tolerance and peace for all women and men who are struggling with such issues.”
Meiring concluded that the pamphlets distributed during the event contained valuable information about commonly used drugs, safety tips, and the 30 human rights.
Related article: No boy Is born an abuser: GBV can be eradicated before it starts
