TUT men show support in the fight against gender-based violence

Male staff members and students from the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) marched to their nearest police stations on Tuesday to show their support for the fight against the on-going gender-based violence.

All TUT campuses from Gauteng to Limpopo participated in the institution-wide Male Led March, which was initiated by the office of the vice chancellor.

TUT Soshanguve campus acting rector, Teddy Setshedi, said: “We deemed it necessary because many institutions and organizations have voiced their concerns with regards to the violence against women. Therefore, we decided as men from TUT to make the Soshanguve community realize that we are concerned as well,” said Setshedi.

The march, with the hashtag #TUTMenStandUpAgainstGenderViolence, saw the TUT Soshanguve campus men and women march from the South campus in Block L to the Soshanguve police station where they expressed concerns over violence against female students and women in general.

Addressing the crowd outside the police station, advisor to TUT vice chancellor, Jonas Magedi said it would be pointless for men to take part in marches against gender-based violence but still go home and inflict pain on loved ones.

“Abuse can take place in different forms. You may find that men would seem to be supportive of marches against gender-based violence and take part in them, but when they get home, they are feared by their children and partners because they turn into different people who cannot be approached. That is emotional abuse,” said Magedi.

Magedi said to achieve a society free of abuse, the change should start with men, who should serve to love and protect women and children around them.

READ MORE: South Africa’s shocking gender-based violence statistics

“We are here to say to women and our mothers that we are with you. When you feel violated within universities, report the cases, do not be afraid. If there is any staff me

mber in the university that is found or reported to have abused women, we want them to be aware that the university is not silent, neither is it mumbling over this particular issue,” said Magedi.

He also said it was unfair that female students leave their homes in the hope of getting an education only to be violated.

“We are also here to ask the police to fast track cases of abuse, to have a short turnaround period. We want to ensure that we have communities that are free from any form of oppression and violence directed at women, be it female workers and students in the university and also women in the surrounding communities where our campuses are based,” said Magedi.

Soshanguve police spokesperson, Portia Sebone said: “The station’s Vispol commander, Colonel Celia Napo who accepted and signed the memorandum, appreciated TUT men for taking a stand against gender-based violence and for being willing to work with the police in combating the issue.”

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