VIDEO: Self-defence course empowers women
Candidates were selected on the basis of having sought the services of the Wentworth Organisation for Women and the Wentworth Victim Friendly Centre which mostly deal with GBV cases.
SEVENTY-FIVE women were the first beneficiaries of the new sports equipment donated in Wentworth. In the fight against the gender-based violence scourge, the provincial Department of Sports and Recreation made the give away to empower the women recently.
Candidates were selected on the basis of having sought the services of the Wentworth Organisation for Women and the Wentworth Victim Friendly Centre which mostly deal with GBV cases.
Nishaan Sewkumar from the department said they found it fitting to make the donation in Wentworth as the area is plagued by various social ills. He said GBV was further exacerbated by the hard lockdown because women were locked in with their abusive partners, with no escape route for them.
“The programme is called the Sports Against Crime Self-Defence Course. We thought Wentworth would be great to do this initiative in and what better way than to do a self-defence course.”
“The two centres received equipment to use in the encouragement of women to create an active healthy lifestyle and form fitness groups. The equipment will be stored at both these centres for the local women to utilise and get their minds off things,” he said.
The first part of the programme was theory and after a short break, the practical followed. Ward 68 sport confederation chairperson, Carl Webster facilitated the streetwise self-defence class while the Dominate Fitness Club gave an aerobics session. Nishaan said these were necessary in order to demonstrate how the equipment is used.
Ward 68 councillor, Aubrey Synman said this programme was much-needed in the community and in continuing such, this will alleviate a lot of GBV in the ward.
“We hope that more programmes as such take place in the future. We need to be more active, not just during the 16 Days of Activism Against Violence on Women and Children campaign, which I believe should be 365 days.”
“In that way, we’re able to empower women to be able to defend themselves. There is no way that people can accept the fact that they should be treated in this manner.”
“Everybody should be made aware that nobody has the right to assault anybody, in any way or form. If we can stand together, and make sure that we sing from the same hymn sheet regarding saying no to GBV, then we will be able to at least reduce it. It is quite astronomical, not in the sense of this community but throughout the world. I as ward councillor say no to GBV,” he said.
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