For this year’s 16 Days of Activism speech in Parliament, I have chosen to focus on our collective struggle against Gender-Based Violence.
There are colossal institutional and societal roadblocks that stand in the way of progress – and it is high time that we not only become aware of them but also address them.
For one, our police are not doing enough to combat GBV. Victims of GBV often refuse to go to the police out of fear that their cases will be rejected – or worse yet – that their abusers might find out and levy further harm against them. In the latter case, the police are routinely incapable of providing the necessary protection.
If we are to seriously get this endemic under control, then our police must play a key role in keeping women and children safe from abuse. They must do this by transforming police stations into hubs of compassion, where those who are abused can feel secure enough to relay their stories – knowing that they will be guarded by law enforcement. This can only be done if a capable state steps in and makes the necessary changes.
Furthermore, as men, we need to be made aware of our role in society, and how we can contribute to reducing and preventing gender-based abuse in South Africa. We must educate our sons, brothers and fathers about mutual respect and equality and also unpack our own toxic masculinity.
Every mother, sister and daughter have the same inalienable rights as a man. The sooner that moral men educate other men about this, the better.
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