The Randfontein Police’s Communication Department along with its Victim Empowerment Centre, Crime-Prevention unit, community patrollers as well as members of the Sankofa Rehabilitation Centre in Toekomsrus and Blind SA had an awareness session about the rights of those with disabilities earlier this week.

Sergeant Carmen Hendricks, the Randfontein Police spokesperson, said that for Disability Rights Awareness Month (DRAM) they addressed numerous social ills still plaguing the community, among them gender-based violence, assault, domestic violence, rape and theft.

We interacted and informed each other how to handle and treat the blind/ partially sighted people in the community. They too are victims of crime, even if they don’t always come forward to report it,” said Hendricks.

She added that everyone, including the blind/ partially sighted people, has the right to information.

“We sometimes take a lot of things for granted, especially our eyesight. Blind/ partially sighted people can do most things, and are taught Braille to read and write.”

The dos and don’ts when interacting with a person who is blind:

• Touch them on the shoulder, arm or use their name to address them so that they know you are speaking to them.

• Identify yourself when entering a room.

• Don’t shout when you speak; they can’t see but often have fine hearing.

• Don’t pet, feed or distract a guide dog – they are not pets, they are working companions on which a blind person depends.

Hendricks added that there are apps blind people can use to assist with everyday tasks and increase their independence. There are built-in screen reading software that you can activate from your mobile phone. It is an open source that can be downloaded for free.

Braille is a tactical writing system people who are visually impaired use, and we got the opportunity to see the alphabet and how it works. If you learn Braille you will be able to visualise what blind and partially sighted people experience.”