By Katlego Sekhu
Today, 25 November 2021, kicks off 16 days of activism against Gender-Based Violence, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women, and runs until 10 December, International Human Rights Day.
Our Focus this year is on the spectator. Victims need our help to be heard, and the perpetrator needs our help to change their behavior.
“What would be your first point of action as a bystander who witnesses gender-based violence? Whether you know the victim or not. Do you intervene, or do you get into spectator mode?” Asks the Morning Show team.
“There’s no way I’ll get into my car and drive off while a guy manhandles a woman,” adds Skhumba.
Reactions from Kaya 959 listeners
A listener agrees with Skhumba, saying that he would never watch a man abuse a woman.
Moipone shares her experience: “Second-year varsity, there was a girl who was abused, and we called the police. When they arrived, she went and hid in the bathroom. She told the cops that there was nothing wrong; we were so defeated. The cops said because she doesn’t report him, there’s nothing that they can do,” said Moipone.
Phumzile said that she acted fast when she realized a woman was being abused by a man “This guy hit a woman with a beer bottle on her face. I could see through the window. I called the police, and they came to arrest that guy.”
Follow the conversation on social media under hashtag #ThomasandSkhumba.
Also Read: Bullying and abuse in schools
