POWA holds community dialogue
Sex and rape openly discussed in a community dialogue.
People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA) and Agisanang Domestic Abuse Prevention and Training (ADAPT) hosted a community dialogue in ward 7 on June 23.
The dialogue, held at Lutheran Church in Tsenelong section, is one of two dialogues that are held in each ward.
POWA and ADAPT are working with five wards which comprise 10 schools in total, two schools in each ward.
“According to a study by a centre for justice and crime prevention on violence in schools it is revealed that sexual violence is very high in schools which is why we are also targeting schools,” said Ms Dipuo Thobejane, social worker at POWA.
Ms Chwayita Ngozi, POWA legal adviser, said POWA and ADAPT initiated a programme called Teenz Alliance to address the problem in ending sexual violence in schools.
Ms Ngozi said they select 50 learners, 25 girls and 25 boys, from each school.
They take them to a five-day learnership camp. In the first three days they train them, focusing mainly on the concept of sexual violence to ensure they have a thorough understanding.
She said they break down the broad concept by providing definitions and explaining categories of sexual violence.
“The last two days we allow them to come up with their own programmes which they will, in turn, implement back at their respective schools,” said Ms Thobejane.
Stakeholders in the dialogue were the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), Thuthuzela care centre, SAPS’ family violence unit, child protection and sexual offences unit (FCS) and the community.
Ms Thobejane said the reason they brought the dialogue to the community is that violence begins at home before it happens in schools, and everyone is affected.
“We are therefore enlightening the community to know where to go when sexual violence happens,” said Ms Ngozi.
“The purpose of the community dialogue is to put together an action team that will, with the support of POWA and ADAPT, take initiatives in fighting sexual violence within their community,” said Ms Thobejane.
She said POWA and ADAPT will then ensure that the action team is capacitated to carry out their duties.
