A campaign launched at Fourways Mall is calling on men to confront abusive behaviour in their own circles and take responsibility for creating safer communities.

Rogues on Radio has launched Men Against Abusive Men, an initiative aimed at building awareness around abuse that often remains hidden behind closed doors.

Radio station owner Clive Chetty said the campaign was partly inspired by public attention surrounding recent murders in Kempton Park, but stressed its focus extends beyond high-profile violent crimes.

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“There’s been such a noise, and positively so, about the unfortunate incidents in Kempton Park. But that was because, unfortunately, people were being murdered and it was heinous crimes,” Chetty said.

He said the station wanted to address the less visible forms of abuse occurring within households and relationships.

“There’s husbands and wives fighting, and abuse whereby women are feeling trapped in terms of they’re not speaking out and they say, ‘No, he’ll change. He’ll change.’ We want to be able to say no, let’s take accountability now. Let’s take responsibility now.”

Community-driven action

According to Chetty, the initiative will start within the presenters’ own families and social circles before expanding into the wider community.

Radio presenters said they did not want to ‘own’ the campaign, but rather act as its initiators while inviting businesses, organisations and members of the public to participate.

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“We want to be able to start in our own homes. Everyone that we associate with will be on the spot of, let’s protect a woman,” Chetty said.

He said the campaign was deliberately positioned as a community initiative rather than a political one, with the station hoping to use its platform and its network of artists and supporters to amplify the message.

Jack Atlantic, Jamie Henry, and Rich Man Blue were among the artists who supported the launch.

Chetty said the campaign needed to become sustainable and eventually grow beyond Fourways.

“The point of it being just here in the small community, just in Fourways, is not enough. But Fourways can be the catalyst.”

The campaign’s message is ultimately directed at men: do not remain silent when abuse occurs, and begin by taking responsibility within your own circles.

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