Lack of technology, abuse by communities main challenges discussed at #HearMeToo-sessions

Karen Painter • May 05, 2021

CAPE TOWN. – A lack of basic technology, the total absence of empathetic support by community members, the depiction of men as the head and of the woman as the neck, and the economic dependency of women on men as breadwinners dominated many discussions at the #HearMeToo -sessions of 1000 Women Trust the past month.

Late in 2020, 1000 Women Trust joined a network of organizations led by the Nottingham School of Business as they embarked on a campaign to explore digital technology and the role it might play to address gender-based violence in South Africa. The campaign is called WE DARE , acronym for Women’s Equality: Digital Access and the Right to Expression.

The WE DARE project is led by Professor Mollie Painter and the Nottingham Business School team.

1000 Women Trust is a network partner of the Nottingham Business School and ran 40 community focus groups and #HearMeToo -sessions to ascertain what the barriers are for women to use existing technology in addressing gender-based violence in the communities.

The 1000 Women Trust is a women’s organisation that aims to raise awareness around gender-based violence, rape and abuse and mobilises resources to empower and inspire women who are victims of gender-based violence.

Women from vulnerable communities that formed part of the focus groups of 1000 Women Trust, mainly use Whatsapp to access support and connect with others for issues around gender-based violence. A very small proportion of the women reported using an app, and a majority didn’t use technology at all and had not heard of the any of the helplines that have been advertised online. A small handful of the women used the internet, said Tina Thiart, trustee of 1000 Women Trust.

Phoshollo Phasha, facilitator of #HearMeToo-sessions in the Burgersfort-area in Limpopo, is a small-business entrepreneur who also sells branded clothing called W.O.R.M.S (Work Out Realistic Magical Success).

Phasha conducted two #HearMeToo-sessions, with 25 attendants on one occasion and 50 at her last session.

She discussed gender-based violence with the women and the youths.

The women and the youths readily shared their own stories of being subjected to violence, and how they are recovering after the assaults.

She detected multiple challenges that the survivors face when dealing with domestic violence.

Many of the women were unaware of the fact that there was a shelter in the area where they could receive help.

They did not know of an app on the cell phone called Siza with which they could share their exact location when they are endangered.

At the #HearMeToo-sessions, they were also told about hotlines and emergency numbers that they can call in order to receive assistance. They did not know about these numbers beforehand.

Phasha pointed to the fact that most of the youths and the women simply did not have cell phones, or there might not be a signal in their area, or they did not have enough data or airtime when it was needed to report a crime committed against them.

That is due to the high rate of unemployment in the Burgersfort-area, she said.

Another factor is the pressure by the communities and families on women who are survivors of gender-based violence.

“Many women grow up with family members telling them that men are the head and that women are the neck, which means you cannot do anything without using the head.

“When women who are sexually abused by an uncle, want to report it, they are told that they might ruin the family, or taint the family name, and that they should not do it,” Phasha explained.

“So many women are told just to keep quiet.

“They also feel intimidated when they approach a court which is headed by men.”

A lack of motivation by women to study and finish their school career, also undermines their well-being.

It happens that young women are told not to study after school, because they are told they don’t need it. There are many mines around the area, and young women reason that they can marry and have children and their husbands will look after them and provide for them.

Because of this economical dependence, they are often stuck in abusive relationships with men who provide financially, but don’t care about their well-being.

There are cases of teens of 16 years of age who marries older men who provide for them, and they simply tolerate the abuse, said Phasha.

Recently, her own computer was stolen, and she hopes to replace it and start an internet café as an empowerment hub for young job-seekers in order for them to get out of the spiral of gender-based violence.

Davina Cloete conducted two #HearMeToo-sessions at Lutzville which was attended by 45 women and youths.

Gender-based violence in the area of Lutzville is rampant and it is incredibly challenging for survivors of the abuse to successfully seek assistance.

Almost no-one amongst survivors have a cell phone as most are seasonal workers labouring on farms whose primary focus is to buy food to survive.

But when they try and report gender-based violence, they are perennially told by police that they need to acquire an interdict against their husband or boyfriend.

Or they are turned away by police who verbally abuse them by telling them that they smell or that they are “old maids”, Cloete said.

In most of the cases that make it to court, there are no or little prosecution of the alleged perpetrators.

The community sometimes exacerbates the problem, because they will abuse the woman who reports sexual abuse.

“A few Saturdays ago, a girl of 15 years or age was raped, and some of the women in the community shouted at her, asking her why she had been drinking,” Cloete said.

Such is the magnitude of gender-based violence and sexual abuse that the government appointed Advocate Lesley Morris to investigate the matter, but Cloete said she really struggled to get hold of him, and he is nowhere to be seen.

Five women were the victims of femicide during the lockdown, another example of the challenges faced by people in the Lutzville- and Vredendal-area.

Because they don’t have access to technology due to economic constraints, women have to travel about 25 km between Lutzville and Vredendal to report a case of sexual abuse and other forms of gender-based violence to the police. But they have to pay R80 for a taxi-ride in order to report the case.

Ultimately, many women who struggle financially, find themselves locked up in an abusive relationship with a man and almost every weekend, scores of them are beaten up, with little chance of their abuse being reported successfully to a police station, Cloete added.

Jasmina Samuels facilitated three #HearMeToo-sessions in Saldana and discussed all forms of gender-based violence with the attendants.

They spoke at length about domestic violence, rape, gender equality, the parent-child-relationship, abuse of senior citizens, and alcohol abuse.

“Gender-based violence is a massive problem, because many women are abused by their husbands and do not report the violence because they don’t work and are dependent on their husbands or partners. And unemployment is a big challenge in the community,” Samuels says.

Generally, the women who are abused don’t have access to cell phones or any other technological devices, simply because they don’t have the means to buy phones.

So they either contacted the police or visited her to complain about the domestic violence.

She had many, many cases of women who woke her up in the middle of the night, and then she physically went to the home of the abuser afterwards and spoke to him about the assault on his wife. Because she is a co-pastor of the House of David-church and is widely respected, her words had an impact on the men and they were willing to change their violent ways.

But due to the COVID 19 pandemic and the restrictions on movements, she had less women contacting her in 2020 and 2021, Samuels said.

Vanessa Nelson is the founder of the NPO Hope for the Future that is affiliated to 1000 Women Trust.

Nelson facilitated two #HearMeToo-sessions in Heideveld in April 2021. Both of these sessions were intense, emotional and ran for almost five hours each.

“We created a safe space where women could share their stories of being survivors of gender-based violence and almost 99 % of them suffered physical, emotional, psychological and economical abuse.

“In the Heideveld-area this domestic abuse in all its forms are rampant.

“What was evident during the sessions, were that at least 60 % of the attendants did not have the cell phones or any form of technology to report their abuse,” Nelson said.

As chairperson of the Heideveld residential association she liaises with police on a platform once a month, and this improves the ability of abused women to report gender-based violence to the police.

The demand for regular #HearMeToo-sessions in Heideveld and Blikkiesdorp are so high that she needs to conduct sessions twice a month in the future.

The reason for the gender-based violence is an attitude prevalent amongst men that women belong to them and are their possession and that they can do with women what they want, Nelson said.

She advocates the importance during the sessions that women are independent and have a voice.

“I tell them that they are bold and must speak out, tell their stories and count on the support of other women,” Nelson said.

She also shares her own story of abuse during the #HearMeToo-sessions to serve as an inspiration to other women.

She said her recovery from gender-based violence perpetrated by her second husband started when she share her own story on Facebook in 2018. Her husband learned about this and was annoyed and turned to heavy drinking. He also attacked her verbally.

But when the second pandemic of gender-based violence went viral on social media and on TV in 2019, she confronted her husband and told him that he is part of the statistics of people who are perpetrators of gender-based violence.

She also told him that she loved him, but that his violence are pushing his family away.

He was never willing to admit that he was a problem and was a narcissist who always said she was guilty.

Because of that confrontation in which she exposed him as a statistic perpetrating violence, he was stunned and he changed his ways.

His mind-set was transformed, and he has stopped all forms of abuse.

“My marriage is in a new space, and we never thought we would be this happy,” she said.

Nelson is also inspiring other women to become independent and to share their stories of survival and being overcomers.

One of these women is her sister, who was subjected to domestic violence for 24 years.

Her next challenge is to find a venue in Heideveld to organize #HearMeToo-sessions for about 60 young women who are in need of counselling, she said.

For more information, visit  www.1000women.co.za ,  www.bullying.co.za  or  www.maketime.org.za

If you wish to contact 1000 Women Trust, phone 0614690479

Delft-police violated human rights of rape victim by turning person away, demanding a witness, warns experts

by Karen Specter • 12 May, 2024
Delft-police violated human rights of rape victim by turning person away, demanding a witness, warns experts Care-givers and NGOs leading the fight against gender-based violence in the Western Cape are appalled at what they call repeated critical failures by police-officers after a police officer at the Delft Police station’s community service centre turned away a rape victim on Tuesday 7 th May and demanded that the survivo brings a witness before a case can be opened. Dr Genine Josias, medical coordinator at the Thuthuzela Clinical Forensic Centre at the Karl Bremer Hospital, said on Facebook that a person reported the rape at the police station in Delft, a GBV-hotspot in the Western Cape, on Tuesday afternoon, 7 th May. The police officer questioned why the victim waited so long to open a case and then told the survivor to bring a witness before the case can be opened. Apparently, the witness walked in on the crime but was not available to accompany the survivor to the police station, so the victim and the witness returned to Delft police station the following morning, Wednesday 8 th May, Dr Josias said. She said this wrong actions by the police is not an isolated incident, but happens repeatedly and affects rape-survivors as some of the traumatized victims might decide not to return the next day. “The police must open the case immediately and should not be asking rape survivors for witnesses. They also should not question why they waited 48 hours as many victims suffer severe trauma and don’t report it immediately.” she said. She said the action by the police-officer is not an isolated incident, but this is a serial offense as it happens again and again. “This is not the first time that police wrongly turn rape survivors away. We report it via email to the police via email as requested by management, but they repeat this,” Josias said. “There is no political will,” she said on Facebook. “There are no consequences. There are no checks and balances. The police officer is not even identifiable. Where are the cameras in the charge offices of the police stations or so-called community service centres,”she asked. Tina Thiart, executive trustee of 1000 Women Trust, women-led organization that have been fighting gender-based violence the past 21 years, said: “We at 1000 Women Trust are appalled at the behaviour of the police. We urge women who experience bad service at the police station to report it to us and to the IPID on its hotline number of 0800 111969 . It is due to the action of police officers like the one in Delft that the conviction rate of sexual offenses is so low. Thiart said when 1000 Women Trust facilitated #HearMeToo-groups the past three years where women all over the country shared their experiences about GBV in groups of 30. “The common theme at these sessions were that women often experienced animosity at police stations, and cases were not opened against perpetrators of GBV. Despite the fact that three new GBV-laws were promulgated in 2022, we have not turned the tide against gender-based violence because we lose the battle at ground level – due to the attitudes of the male offenders, and the lack of empathetic assistance and pro-active help at police stations,” she said. More than 42000 South African women were raped in the previous year and 15284 women were sexually assaulted from 1 st September to 31 st December 2023. According to the Women’s Legal Centre, the conviction rate of sexual assaults in South Africa is between 5 and 6 %. “As health workers, we have a 72-hour deadline in which to give HIV prevention medication to rape victims,” said Dr Josias. “Due to the victim being turned away at Delft Police Station, the client missed the 72 hour deadline, which expired on Tuesday evening. This police officer violated the human rights of this victim in more ways than one. In fact, this victim can sue the SAPS for failing to assist timeously. The investigation officer of the FCS unit was not informed that a victim reported a rape at Delft police station on Tuesday afternoon. If the officers of the family violence, child protection sexual offenses unit or FCS received HIV prevention medication, the hiv status of the rapist is unknown, so all victims of rape must be encouraged to access medical services as soon as possible after a rape. At the Thuthuzela centre, containment counselling, prevention of STIs as well as emergency contraception in certain instances are provided. Victims are also provided with the option to take a shower and a comfort pack with toiletries are provided . Social workers are also called in if the victim is not safe to return home. Services at the Thuthuzela centres are free. Dr Josias said the investigating officers of the family violence, child protection sexual offenses unit (or FCS) are not paid overtime on public holidays and weekends yet the police management expect them to work overtime and act by which the police fails the victims of gender-based violence in South Africa. In every charge office of all police stations, there should be large posters, advising victims of sexual offenses to go directly to a Thuthuzela centre or the nearest health facility, especially if the police office turns people away. The contact number and address of the nearest Thuthuzela centre of health facility should be displayed on these posters, said Dr Josias. Caroline Peters, director of the Dallas-foundation fighting GBV, said on Facebook: “All police officers at stations should receive training on handling situation when people report GBV.”

1000 Women Trust reach out with anti-bullying toolkit in wake of Brandfort-tragedy

by Karen Specter • 12 May, 2024
PRESS RELEASE ON BEHALF OF 1000 WOMEN TRUST: 11 TH MAY 2024 FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 1000 Women Trust reach out with anti-bullying toolkit in wake of Brandfort-tragedy The women-led organization 1000 Women Trust who have developed a comprehensive anti-bullying toolkit to equip thousands of South African teachers, says that in the wake of a tragic bully-related death of an 11-year old boy in Brandfort, it would like to partner with teachers and educational departments to share their anti-bullying resources on how to report the scourge and root out a culture of bullying in schools. Tina Thiart, executive trustee of 1000 Women Trust, spoke in the wake of an incident on Wednesday 8 th May where Kamogelo Leepile, an 11-year old boy-learner from WSM Malotle Primary School in Brandfort, Free State, was stabbed and killed by a 9-year old grade 4-learner form a neighbouring Monamodi Primary School. “We have heard about the terrible incident and want to express our heartfelt condolences with the family of Kamogelo,” Thiart said. “The incident greatly saddens us and we wish to reach out to school communities who battle to deal with a culture of bullying. We have compiled an anti-bullying toolkit which will provide resources for teachers, parents, schools and educational departments to address bullying in all forms. It can be accessed on www.antibully.co.za . “There are also a range of values that parents can share with their school-going children in order to train them to be non-violent and respectful to other learners. It can be accessed on www.talkingtoboys.co.za ,” Thiart said. “We also provide regular anti-bullying training to teachers and parents, which has been very popular. Since its inception, more than 5000 parents and teachers have received training. Teachers who want to access training, can WhatsApp Thiart on 073-2079079 . “We have also trained trauma councillors that visit schools to share the necessary skills with teachers on how to address bullying. When a learner at a Limpopo school committed suicide in 2021, we partnered with the Limpopo department of education and sent trauma councillors to four schools in the region in order to share important skills with teachers on anti-bullying mechanisms,” Thiart said. “We do have the man-power, the skills and the resources to assist schools as we are grieving the untimely and continuous harm to bullied children in South Africa,” Thiart added. Thiart said the best deterrent to bullying and cyberbullying in schools is to create a culture of acceptance and communication. Such a culture empowers learners to find positive ways to revolve conflicts, while counting on the administration, teachers and other staff who can support learners in making constructive decisions and respond proactively when aggression of any kind exists on the school campus. Schools must establish an anti-bullying policy with input from all members of your school community to determine how your school will implement rules of conduct. Put into action a school-wide plan – disseminate a bullying prevention plan that involves all adults on campus in knowing how to support positive behaviour, address unacceptable actions and refer learners who need additional counselling. Participate in anti-bullying campaigns and organise workshops for teachers and parents. Daniel Moloi, director of the Agape Foundation of Community Building, who attended the 1000 Women Trust anti-bullying course, endorsed and applauded the course, saying it is practical, hard-hitting and user-friendly for learners. “It creates awareness of bullying and how it can be prevented. We presented the material at a primary school in the Thabo Mofutsanyana District Municipality and it had a profound impact. “The material corresponds with the life skills material and is compliant with the school safety framework of the department of education,” Moloi said. Press release compiled on behalf of 1000 Women Trust by Fanie Heyns. For more information, contact Tina Thiart on 073-2079079 or Adrie Jurgensen on 083-4418256 .

Social, economic and implementation barriers undermine effectiveness of three new GBV-laws, warn Jantjies

by Karen Specter • 01 May, 2024
The three new GBV-laws which were signed by President Cyril Ramaphosa in January 2022, aimed at strengthening efforts to end gender-based violence in South Africa, were a major factor in enforcing the legal framework against these crimes. Yet many South African women still face major social and economic barriers before they report the violence they are subjected to, said Andrea-Joy Jantjies, associate of the Women’s Legal Centre. The three new GBV-laws are the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act and the Domestic Violence Amendment Act. Jantjies said many SA women who are in relationships with their perpetrators are dependent on the perpetrator of gender-based violence for economic support for themselves and the children. Other barriers include, legal illiteracy, which means victims are not always aware of their legal rights. Another barrier is that women who want to report abuse still have to pay transportation costs when going to the police and some of them simply don’t have the means. When women do report the matter to the police, they are sometimes told that is a private matter between a man and his partner. There remains a need for further awareness raising to change attitudes of service providers that confines domestic violence to the private sphere, because this contributes to a culture of impunity. A lack of victim support also contributes to the fact that some women withdraw the case against the perpetrators after they have reported the abuse. Police are supposed to provide victims with a list of available shelters where they can feel safe and are not intimidated by the perpetrator, but they don’t always provide that information to women who suffer from gender-based violence. The lack of knowledge by the victims of their rights and of the three new GBV-laws still undermines the effectiveness of these laws. For example, the safety monitoring notice will make sure that a police official will check on victims’ safety regularly by telephone or in person for a specified period, but many women are not aware of this additional protective mechanism to ensure their safety. “There are mandatory and effective training of various departments of the police and the judiciary with regards to the GBV laws, but constant capacity building is required with regards to this training of the judiciary and the police,” said Jantjies. The three new GBV-laws do not address the culture and violence against women in South Africa by predominantly men, evidenced by the fact that from 1 st September 2023 until 31 st December last year there were 18254 sexual offences reported – 168.9 per day - an indication of how much GBV is still the second pandemic. “The numbers of GBV-victims are staggering and are comparable to countries actively at war. The reality is that one in every five women in South Africa is a victim of gender-based violence,” said Jantjies. “The patriarchal norms in society as well as the legacy of violence and poverty contribute to the perpetuation of gender-based violence. And so often women are stigmatized and wrongly blamed for GBV,” said Jantjies.

Sauls highlights power of GBV-laws, steps to enhance gender equity in workplace

by Karen Specter • 07 Apr, 2024
The three new GBV-laws and the new dedicated desks at police offices in gender-based violence hotspots will strengthen women in the fight against the second pandemic, said Leonora Sauls, new trustee of 1000 Women Trust. Sauls is also the head of philanthropy of the Ackerman Family Foundation. Know the GBV-laws is part of a new campaign by 1000 Women Trust to challenge women around the country to equip themselves legally in case of domestic violence. The three new GBV-laws are: the criminal Law (sexual offences and related matters) amendment act, the criminal and related matters amendment act and the domestic violence amendment act. Said Sauls: The domestic violence amendment bill expands the definition of domestic violence to include actions as controlling or bullying behaviour and makes provisions for protecting people in engagements, dating and in customary relationships. The criminal and related matters amendment bill amends various laws that address GBV and offences committed against vulnerable people, she said. It also provides for additional procedures to reduce secondary victimisation of vulnerable people in court proceedings. It further regulates protection orders in response to domestic violence, she added. Sauls said: “Government is making progress in establishing dedicated desks at police stations in GBV hotspots. The desks are staffed by police officers who are specifically trained to provide victim-centred assistance and support. There are now 134 desks in operation and the goal is to have a GBV desk in all police stations countrywide. In my view, these bills as well as the GBV desks will strengthen the fight against GBV,” she added. Asked how gender equality in the South African workplace can be enhanced, Sauls said there must be a rethink of systems. Senior leaders must consider and understand what organizational policies and practices may be seen as supportive or dismissive of talented women, and shift toward more inclusive leadership . Best-practice organizations have an all-encompassing, systematic agenda to tackle gender equity in the workplace and are focused on supporting, retaining, and promoting diversity of all kinds. She said another way of enhancing gender equality in the workplace is to establish and execute flexible work agreements. Flexible work arrangements can take many forms, and even before the pandemic, flexibility was frequently cited as one of the key things wanted by women in the workplace . With the global shift toward more hybrid and remote ways of working, your organization will surely improve employee retention post-pandemic with flexible work arrangements . But even more important than establishing flexible policies is ensuring that employees feel truly “safe” to take advantage of them, said Fauls. Asked what other steps could be taken to eradicate the scourge of gender-based violence in South Africa, Sauls highlighted the following steps. Women’s full participation in civil society Programs that will facilitate financial independence for women. Providing accessible GBV clinical services in lower tier health facilities Addressing the needs of child survivors of gender-based violence. Support programs for all women in and outside of the workplace

Lottering making headway with help of Trust in Central-Karoo, starting temporary shelter

by Karen Specter • 21 Mar, 2024
The courageous and tireless gender advocate Marinda Lottering is waging war with limited resources against perpetrators of gender-based violence in the Central-Karoo who use their economic power as leverage to attack and assault helpless women – something that has become endemic in Beaufort-Wes and Laingsburg. Lottering has started a temporary emergency shelter in the heart of Beaufort-West in order to cater for women who are subjected to gender-based violence. These women, who lay charges at the police station, normally awaits transport to the closest shelter in Laingsburg, but Lottering does not want to leave them on the street while they wait. The facility will also serve as a GBV advice office for women in Beaufort West. “Last year, 1000 Women Trust and I had a Karoo-project where we held meetings and workshops for women who were victims of gender-based violence. The purpose of those meetings in Beaufort-West was to empower women on what they are to do when they are subjected to gender-based violence, where to go to for assistance, how to apply for an eviction order. “We also did training with many of these women to empower them on how to find their way out of abuse,” Lottering said. “Gender-based violence in Beaufort-Wes and surrounding towns of the Central-Karoo is rife. One of the biggest challenges is that more than 50 % of people in the area are without jobs. So many women are without work, they depend on men who drink heavily or use drugs and who abuse them. “These men consider women as their inferiors and as their objects. And when the women want to go to the police office, the perpetrators threaten them with more violence and tell them they will withhold money for food from them. And some of these women don’t have the skills to escape the cycle of violence and stay trapped,” says Lottering. “The courses I have done with 1000 Women Trust like the trauma training, anti-bullying and life skills training have been enormously helpful. Last year, we trained 37 women in Beaufort-West with the 1000 Women Trust material and 27 in Laingsburg with the same material,” Lottering added. One of the greatest challenges she faces, is to leverage support. 1000 Women Trust had been in the past and still is a life saver, but she needs other support as well. “I cannot do it on my own. I have called for a meeting for next week with the South African Police Services, the department of social development and churches in Beaufort-West in order to find help and solutions with the sky-high levels of gender-based violence.” Asked about the role of the church, Lottering said some of the churches in the Central-Karoo don’t help as some members of their senior management are guilty of the same problems that are so evident in the community and that is that they are perpetrators of gender-based violence themselves. Lottering said the most pressing need for her right now is office equipment, as well as food supplies as there is a high prevalence of women on the street who were violently assaulted and who have to fend for themselves and their children without food or drink. If people want to assist Lottering, they can email her on lotteringmarinda607@gmail.com or contact 1000 Women on WhatsApp 0614690479 Tina Thiart, trustee of 1000 Women Trust, welcomed the establishment of the emergency shelter in Beaufort West and congratulated Lottering for taking the brave step. “It was our objective with the Karoo-project (to establish the shelter). We urge our members and friends to donate to the GBV Advice Office,” said Thiart.  The mission of 1000 Women Trust is to raise awareness, empower survivors and work towards eradicating all forms of violence against women. The Trust firmly believes that by uniting their voices, they can create lasting change and build a safer world for women and girls everywhere. To contact the Trust, send us a mail on info@1000women.co.za .

Leading activist against gangsterism and bullying in Mamelodi rave about 1000 Women Trust’s material

by Karen Specter • 12 Mar, 2024
The pamphlets and the anti-bullying-toolkit of 1000 Women Trust have played a significant role in assisting the social worker Eunice Maseema, who is a leading activist in fighting gangsterism and bullying in the Jafta Mahlangu secondary school in Mamelodi-West. Maseema is a social worker of the Moses Mabhida Foundation. She says she has benefited from the anti-bullying material from 1000 Women Trust, women-led organization that combats gender-based violence. “The challenge we face at the adopted schools in Mamelodi is that there is a lot of gangsterism around the schools in the area as well as substance abuse, which plays a role in perpetuating bullying in the Jafta Mahlangu-school,” says Maseeema. “We have had incidences where learners who had taken in some substances, physically assaulted teachers at the school,” she says. “Our role is not only to conduct talks at the school and target perpetrators with the message that bullying is not cool. But we also have group sessions regularly – either after school or on weekends. “Furthermore, we take hands with other stakeholders to challenge learners who are bullies. We are in close contact with all the South African Police Services in Mamelodi. The embassy of Qatar has also provided us with more computers to help bullies pursue a different career patch. “We have reached out to parents in the community with the central message that bullying is inhumane and has severe consequences,” Maseema said. “The material of 1000 Women Trust has contributed to the skills development of the social workers and we have also positive feedback from learners who read the pamphlets of 1000 Women Trust.” Maseema said one of the greatest challenges that the social workers at the schools face, is how to break the connection between bullying and gangsterism and eradicate the negative cycle of anti-social behaviour. “Some of the learners join the gangs around the school at age 11. When they join, they receive R100 and when they try to leave the gangs, they have to pay R2000 to the gangs. “A challenge is to help learners see the positive role models who do not engage in bullying. Because many of those role models leave the area to join greener pastures. “But some of the learners drop out because they want to join the ranks of gang members who have smart cars,” Maseema added. “We have had some success as some learners dropped out, but due to our interventions they came back to school again. We try and enforce a procedure whereby every learner is checked by teachers, and social workers to attend every period of school “if we have more resources, we want to spread the work that we are doing, to the whole of Mamelodi, not only schools in Mamelodi West. Currently we focus on two primary schools and the Jafta Mahlanga secondary school. We aim to enlarge our footprint. “Another challenge is we need more money to purchase several computes to teach learners more skills as to much free time can exacerbate the problem of bullying,” said Maseema. It is well-known that 57 % of the 2.2 million South African learners have been subjected to bullying throughout their lifetime, and that 90 % of bullies later on become perpetrators of gender-based violence. In 2023, a total of 2981 learners in South Africa did the hart-hitting trauma buddy training of 1000 Women Trust. The Trust’s mission is to raise awareness, empower survivors and work towards eradicate all forms of violence against women. The Trust firmly believes that by uniting their voices, they can create lasting change and build a safer world for women and girls everywhere. For more information on what 1000 Women Trust is doing, visit www.antibully.co.za, visit the website on www.1000women.co.za or send Tina Thiart a WhatsApp on 0732079079 if you want your school or teachers or parents to do the anti-bullying course.

1000 Women Trust Launches "Know The Law" Campaign in Celebration of International Women's Day

by Karen Specter • 07 Mar, 2024
As we commemorate International Women's Day on March 8th, the 1000 Women Trust is proud to launch its "Know The Law" campaign. With a focus on inspiring, educating, equipping, and empowering women and women-led organisations, this initiative aims to simplify legal jargon and make crucial amendments accessible to all. In 2022, the government introduced three significant amendments addressing key issues affecting women's safety and rights. These amendments streamline protection order applications, ensure the seriousness of harassment claims by state police, and hold offenders accountable with appropriate punitive measures. Over the next few weeks, 1000 Women Trust will delve into each of these laws to keep individuals informed and engaged. Through social media, website resources, and interactive discussions, the campaign seeks to empower women with knowledge and foster gender equality. "At 1000 Women, we believe that knowledge is power," says Founding Trustee, Tina Thiart from 1000 Women Trust. "Our 'Know The Law' campaign embodies our commitment to empowering individuals through education and awareness. By understanding these amendments, women can better protect themselves and advocate for change."  As part of the campaign, individuals are encouraged to share information with friends and family who may benefit from the resources provided. Together, under the hashtag #1000Women1Voice, the community can advocate for change, invest in women, and foster gender equality. Follow our "Know The Law" campaign and join the conversation on our Facebook and Instagram social media pages – 1000 Women 1 Voice.

Government, SAPS have failed in its constitutional imperative to protect SA women, as damning crime stats show

by Karen Specter • 26 Feb, 2024
Equipping women with the awareness of what bullying and gender-based violence is, what their rights are, where they can report this abuse and how they can get out of the cycle of violence, but also empowering them with skills to design bags and pillows, is part of Fransien Nzika’s role in the City of Ekurhuleni.  Nzika, equipped with course material provided by 1000 Women Trust on gender-based violence, bullying and trauma training counselling, embarked on the work of touching the hearts of hundreds of women subjected to gender-based violence just after COVID-19. “We have taught the women what gender-based violence is, what their rights are, where they can phone for help or where to go to in order to receive assistance if the police officers are not sympathetic,” said Nzika. But Nzika has also seen it as her role to help women understand that they can be self-sufficient, that they have what it takes to succeed economically without having to rely heavily on men who are perpetrators of gender-based violence. “Many women lack the confidence and have that mindset that a man must take care of them. I empower them to be self-sufficient and don’t need a man. One of the things that is challenging is that some of these women who were subjected to repeated gender-based violence, withdraw the charges simply because they are economically dependent,” said Nzika. “The magnitude of gender-based violence in Ekurhuleni is quite massive, but many women do not talk about it,” she said. The group sessions that she has had, utilizing the 1000 Women Trust-material, has been popular. There are free food and drinks, provided by 1000 Women Trust. “So many of these women come an go, but some do return for more sessions. “It is not merely group sessions. We also empower them by teaching them to do design work of products like pillows and handbags, and it is quite uplifting as it create awareness that they do have the skills to become independent,” said Nzika. Nzika works meticulously on doing follow-up calls to women whom she has not seen for a while an prompted by Nzika, they come back. She has made some progress in the never-ending fight against gender-based violence perpetrators, but says the biggest challenge is still that women in Ekurhuleni suffers in silence and hide the scale of GBV in their communities or are stuck in abusive relationships and lack the will to get out of the cycle by being self-employed. Lucretia Samsam is a tireless worker and community activist who utilizes the 100 Women Trust anti-bullying toolkit and information about gender-based violence to change hearts and minds in Freedom Park, an informal settlement in Ottery. But Samsam has also wandered over to Gugulethu to share information about the danger of bullying and cyber bullying with women in the township. She has also engaged with learners and teachers from Ferndale Primary school where her daughter is a learner. “One of the objectives of my work is to make people in Freedom Park aware on the meaning of Human Rights day on the 21nd March and how we as community collectively can fight crime,” she said. Samsam is currently not employed, but said she is absolutely passionate about helping children and adults about the dangers of bullying and cyberbullying. “One of the greatest achievements of my work though using the 1000 Women Trust course material is that I have created enormous awareness amongst children of the dangers of bullying and how they can fight for themselves to fend off bullies, but also how they can engage with teachers to help protect them from perpetrators of bullying,” said Samsam. “One of the greatest enjoyments of my work is that when I walk across a field in Freedom Park, they shout my name, they know what I am doing and that I am making a difference,” she adds. 1000 Women Trust is a women-led organization whose mission it is to raise awareness, empower survivors and work towards eradicating all forms of violence against women. The Trust firmly believes that by uniting their voices, they can create lasting change and build a safer world for women and girls everywhere.

Nzika, Samsam’s tireless community work with 1000 Women Trust-material changing lives in Ekurhuleni, Ottery

by Karen Specter • 18 Feb, 2024
Equipping women with the awareness of what bullying and gender-based violence is, what their rights are, where they can report this abuse and how they can get out of the cycle of violence, but also empowering them with skills to design bags and pillows, is part of Fransien Nzika’s role in the City of Ekurhuleni.  Nzika, equipped with course material provided by 1000 Women Trust on gender-based violence, bullying and trauma training counselling, embarked on the work of touching the hearts of hundreds of women subjected to gender-based violence just after COVID-19. “We have taught the women what gender-based violence is, what their rights are, where they can phone for help or where to go to in order to receive assistance if the police officers are not sympathetic,” said Nzika. But Nzika has also seen it as her role to help women understand that they can be self-sufficient, that they have what it takes to succeed economically without having to rely heavily on men who are perpetrators of gender-based violence. “Many women lack the confidence and have that mindset that a man must take care of them. I empower them to be self-sufficient and don’t need a man. One of the things that is challenging is that some of these women who were subjected to repeated gender-based violence, withdraw the charges simply because they are economically dependent,” said Nzika. “The magnitude of gender-based violence in Ekurhuleni is quite massive, but many women do not talk about it,” she said. The group sessions that she has had, utilizing the 1000 Women Trust-material, has been popular. There are free food and drinks, provided by 1000 Women Trust. “So many of these women come an go, but some do return for more sessions. “It is not merely group sessions. We also empower them by teaching them to do design work of products like pillows and handbags, and it is quite uplifting as it create awareness that they do have the skills to become independent,” said Nzika. Nzika works meticulously on doing follow-up calls to women whom she has not seen for a while an prompted by Nzika, they come back. She has made some progress in the never-ending fight against gender-based violence perpetrators, but says the biggest challenge is still that women in Ekurhuleni suffers in silence and hide the scale of GBV in their communities or are stuck in abusive relationships and lack the will to get out of the cycle by being self-employed. Lucretia Samsam is a tireless worker and community activist who utilizes the 100 Women Trust anti-bullying toolkit and information about gender-based violence to change hearts and minds in Freedom Park, an informal settlement in Ottery. But Samsam has also wandered over to Gugulethu to share information about the danger of bullying and cyber bullying with women in the township. She has also engaged with learners and teachers from Ferndale Primary school where her daughter is a learner. “One of the objectives of my work is to make people in Freedom Park aware on the meaning of Human Rights day on the 21nd March and how we as community collectively can fight crime,” she said. Samsam is currently not employed, but said she is absolutely passionate about helping children and adults about the dangers of bullying and cyberbullying. “One of the greatest achievements of my work though using the 1000 Women Trust course material is that I have created enormous awareness amongst children of the dangers of bullying and how they can fight for themselves to fend off bullies, but also how they can engage with teachers to help protect them from perpetrators of bullying,” said Samsam. “One of the greatest enjoyments of my work is that when I walk across a field in Freedom Park, they shout my name, they know what I am doing and that I am making a difference,” she adds. 1000 Women Trust is a women-led organization whose mission it is to raise awareness, empower survivors and work towards eradicating all forms of violence against women. The Trust firmly believes that by uniting their voices, they can create lasting change and build a safer world for women and girls everywhere.

South Africans urged to #MakeTime to teach our sons about values of consent, gender equality

by Karen Specter • 18 Feb, 2024
The prominent women-led organization 1000 Women Trust, a leading NGO in the fight against gender-based violence, has launched a major national campaign urging parents to make a pledge to #MakeTime to speak to their sons to teach them about consent, boundaries and respect for women – and in this simple act, join the cause of fighting against the ongoing, horrific levels of gender-based violence. The campaign centres on a children’s doll – Krissy Doll – that appears to have been brutally assaulted, exhibiting all the hallmarks of domestic violence. In a digital film, two young girls are playing with the doll, putting make-up on the doll’s face to cover up cuts and bruises. “Our Krissy Doll is a strong denotation of how women cover up or hide the abuse or violence that is inflicted upon them. By showing a potential future in which little girls accept battered and bruised dolls as if this were the norm, we are hoping to shock South Africans into having critical conversations with their sons”, says Tina Thiart, co-founder and trustee of 1000 Women Trust. South African president Cyril Ramaphosa has said, "Gender-based violence thrives in a climate of silence. With our silence, by looking the other way because we believe it is a personal or family matter, we become complicit in this most insidious of crimes.” To assist adults in navigating these difficult conversations, 1000 Women have made free-for-all digital resources available at talkingtoboys The site hosts age-appropriate talking points and tips on how to speak to boys from the age of one to young men in their teens, an auto-calendar function to set a reminder to make time, and the option to share a pledge to #MakeTime on Facebook and Twitter to drive further awareness of the need to “teach our sons the right way”. “All we’re asking is for South Africans to #MakeTime to speak to their sons. Words are powerful and children’s behaviour and attitudes are learnt, shaped and moulded by those who care for them. If every South African took just half an hour a month to talk to their sons, or boys in their care, about the right way to think and act, consent, boundaries and respect for women, we would soon see less violence, abuse, rape and murder,” says Thiart. But it is not only our sons. Women also need to rethink how they view themselves. A recent survey indicated that when asked if it is acceptable for a man to hit a woman, 3.3% of men and 2.3% of women in South Africa said that it is. Despite the percentage being small, it will never be possible to completely eliminate violence against women while there are still women who believe that it is acceptable to be hit by a man, at the same time not understanding their constitutional rights or what is regarded as socially unacceptable behaviour. “So, while making time to talk to our sons, we also need to encourage our daughters and help them understand that abuse is not okay. Abuse against them, or against anyone they care about should not be covered up. We can’t remain silent, we need to speak up if we want change,” says Thiart. “Through this campaign we hope that each and every South African will take up the responsibility to have these types of conversations with our children from an early age, so that it becomes a social norm and prevents these crimes from following our daughters into the future”. To find out more, pledge your support to make time to talk to your children, visit talkingtoboys and join the conversation at #MakeTime on social media. FOR MEDIA QUERIES Tina Thiart 1000 Women trustee 0732079079 Lara Fouche Assistant to the Trustee 0842361860
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