Local mothers take to Broadacres streets to combat gender-based violence
A group of mothers took to the streets of Broadacres in purple, standing together against GBV and calling for a safer future for their children.
A group of local mothers took to the streets of Broadacres on October 1, dressed in purple and carrying signs to support victims and survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
Organised by My Ascent, the community walk started at the Aquatic Centre at Steyn City School and covered about 2km towards Broadacres and back.
Read more: Awareness raised about GBV
Participant Kara Timperley joined as the mother of a 13-year-old daughter who was deeply affected by the realities of GBV following recent events in Ekurhuleni. “It’s the first time she’s really been made aware of gender-based violence, and it affected her very deeply,” said Timperley.
She said taking part was her way of showing her daughter that she took the issue seriously and wanted to see change. “It was important for me as a mom to show her that I took it seriously, and it’s something that I want to change in order for her to have a safe and secure future where she can live to her full potential,” she said. “Even though it’s a small gesture, it was important for me to show her that I care, and it’s something that I want to change.”
My Ascent founder and chief adventure officer Fazlin Swanepoel said the walk was organised to show women experiencing GBV that they are not alone. “We will not stand for this. For every woman that is out there experiencing this, that they never, ever feel alone,” said Swanepoel.
Also read: GBV stories chalked on pavement
Another participant, Julie Saffari, said the group wanted to use its small platform to encourage people to speak out. “We cannot be silent about an issue that’s this important. The more people who speak out and get the message out, the better we’ll be able to deal with this,” she said.
Timperley said the message she hoped the walk would send was that ordinary people could also contribute to change. “Everyone has the power to make a difference. Obviously, we need government to make a change, but it’s in all our hands to show that we care and to let victims know that they have support,” she said. “Even if it’s a small gesture, it can mean so much to somebody. Just somebody driving down the street would have seen these eight mums and known that we cared.”
The walk was supported by the Fourways Improvement District, which provided a patrol vehicle to accompany the women and assist with their safety.
Follow us on our Whatsapp channel, Facebook, X, Instagram and TikTok for the latest updates!
