With one woman reportedly being killed every three hours in South Africa, there is an urgent need for a societal approach that is focused on prevention as well as dealing with the root causes that contribute to the problem.
Amnesty International South Africa launches a new campaign that demands urgent collective action from government as well as society to end the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa.
With 29 women murdered in the month of June alone last year, and calls to the government GBV hotline tripling in the first days of lockdown last year, South Africa was reminded once again that a war is being waged against women and girls, and that it must be stopped immediately.
“As the pandemic continues to keep people at home, our campaign points out that only acute, decisive and concrete action will bring the crucial change needed to stop GBV,” said Shenilla Mohamed, Executive Director of Amnesty International South Africa.
“It was alarming and disheartening to see that the total number of sexual offences reported by the South African Police Service (SAPS) had increased by 1.7% in the year 2020, with sexual assault increasing by 4.2% and 706 more people reporting having been raped to police in South Africa compared to the year before. This cannot be tolerated. Drastic action is needed to ensure that everyone is protected, particularly women and girls.”
According to Stats SA’s Crime Against Women in South Africa report, 68.5% of sexual offences are committed against women, so one could deduct that the majority of the survivors and victims of sexual offences in the year 2019 to 2020 were women and girls.
Whilst our country faces one of the biggest crises to date in the form of the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s vital that one also talks about the pandemic of GBV raging in homes across the country. This is perpetuated by a culture of silence and ‘acceptance’ of GBV. We need more people reporting crimes of GBV and calling out the toxic social and cultural norms that exist at every level of society.”
“It’s time to smash the silence and interrupt gender-based violence. Each and every one of us must ring the bell on abuse, interrupt abusers, and refuse to stand back and allow this silent pandemic of violence to continue.”
Background
Amnesty International South Africa’s campaign, #InterruptGBV, calls on everyone living in South Africa to:
- I pledge to be an interrupter of gender-based violence.
- I pledge to speak up, stand up and end any silence on GBV.
- I will do this wherever I am and whomever I’m with so that there is no longer a place for GBV in South Africa.
- I will interrupt derogatory conversations, language and jokes – both on and offline.
- I will interrupt violence by reporting abuse wherever I hear or see it.
- I will interrupt violence by calling out abuse wherever I hear or see it.
- I will interrupt the cycle of violence by educating younger generations on what behaviour is and isn’t ok.
- I will interrupt violence by having conversations with friends, family and neighbours on how behaviours need to change.
- I will interrupt violence by being a constant reminder that women have equal rights and should never have to experience the pain that comes with abuse.
- From this moment on I pledge to help end gender-based violence.
Take the pledge, and join the call to stand up, speak up and take action against gender-based violence.
Follow Amnesty International South Africa on Twitter, Instagram, Facebook and TikTok.
For more information or to request an interview, please contact:
Jennifer Wells, Campaigner at Amnesty International South Africa; +27 847766559
Public Document
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Amnesty International South Africa office, 97 Oxford Road, Saxonwold, Johannesburg, 2196; press@amnesty.org
