November 25, 2002
By Bongani Majola
THERE were unanimous calls for men to stop abusing women and children, as executive mayor Amos Masondo signed a peace pledge in Johannesburg on Monday.
Masondo, as Johannesburg's first citizen, inaugurated a 16 day campaign to educate people about gender based violence and to stop violence against women. Endorsed by state president Thabo Mbeki two weeks ago, the sixteen-day campaign is a Southern African take on the Sixteen Days of Activism Against Gender Violence that started on 25 November, the International Day for Prevention of Violence Against Women.
The day was originally declared by a group of women in Latin America and the Caribbean in 1981 to commemorate the deaths of the Mirabel sisters who were brutally murdered in the Dominican Republic for speaking out for human rights.
Signing the pledge, Masondo called on women who are in abusive relationships to stand up and say "enough is enough". He also called on the "five out six men who are not abusers to stand up and be counted".
The City of Johannesburg, in conjunction with participating civic organisations, NGOs and the police, will offer counselling and help to perpetrators who genuinely wished to turn their backs on abuse, the mayor said.
Masondo said he was moved by a woman who survived abuse for eight years until her husband's death, and challenged other women to speak out and not "suffer in silence".
The survivor, who wished to remain unanimous and appealed to the gathered journalists not to take her pictures, said the justice system failed her as authorities told her she was wasting her time reporting the abuse to them. "Society dictates that women must endure, that they must persevere, that is wrong," she said.
Her sentiments were repeated by television actor and campaigner against gender violence Patrick Shai, who blamed society for bringing men up to think that they are invincible. He bemoaned the culture that teaches men not to cry or be gentle. "I challenge all men to be active in the campaign against abuse of women. Do something for yourselves and for society," he said.
Society's indifference to gender violence was also the focus of Colleen Lowe Morna, executive director of Gender Links, a gender and development NGO. "We will count successes when the entire society became mobilised against gender violence," she said.
"Sexual violence is a cowardly act perpetrated because of a belief that women are weak and inferior," said Mbuyiselo Botha, who represents Men's Forum. It was time that society acted decisively, by changing attitudes on women and children, he said.
"We distance ourselves from all violent actions against women and affirm our belief that women's bodies belong to them and no one else," Botha said.
