Who will stand up for women who are victimised by men?

AS AN organisation that fights against the gross violation of human rights and violence perpetrated towards women and girls for over 28 years, we are deeply concerned with the countrywide increase in incidents of violence against women and the girl child.

As Ilitha Labantu, we shall not sit back while our young women are abducted, raped and murdered at pandemic rates. The brutalisation of our women should spark concern in all citizens of our nation and a call for action to address this scourge of senseless violence because not a day goes by without hearing of the ruthless murders of young women.

Following the murder of 22-year-old Karabo Mokoena, 3-year-old Courtney Pieters was raped and murdered, a pregnant woman was gang-raped and four young women were abducted, raped, murdered and their bodies burnt beyond recognition.

These gruesome acts of violence paint a picture of a nation which preys on women and girl children.

It is in our silence as a nation, where we normalise these acts perpetrated on our women. We need to break this culture of silence which helps breed men who abuse women.

Violence against women is a social problem that needs to be addressed at all levels of society, it is not the sole responsibility of the police and government to address, it requires all citizens to actively participate in the fight against violence perpetrated on our women.

Our justice system continues to fail our women because far too often the perpetrators of violence on women are given light sentences, and as a result these offenders go out into society and repeat the same offences.

This is an endless cycle where justice is not served. As a country we should ask ourselves, where did we go wrong? From a legislative perspective there are laws in place to protect our women but the problem lies in the enforcement of these laws. We need to challenge aspects of society in order to get to the answers. We need to ask ourselves: what is it about the culture of hyper-masculinity that helps to breed men who abuse women? This is not the sole responsibility of women, what do men say when it is their daughter, nieces, wives and girlfriends who are victimised by this senseless violence? In response to the increased incidence of violence perpetrated on women, Ilitha Labantu calls for a nationwide campaign to end all violence perpetrated on women and girl children.

No longer can we wait for the “16 Days of Activism” to voice our grievances or to have a call to action on such matters when violence perpetrated on women and girl children is a daily occurrence, even as we speak, women and girl children are being victimised.