Cops march for abused women
‘COUNT ME IN: MOVING A NONVIOLENT SA FORWARD’ We must make our voices heard for 365 days of the year, says Jephta.
‘We are fed up with violence against women and children,” regional commissioner Lieutenant-General Sharon Jephta said yesterday during the South African Police Service (Saps) awareness march for 16 Days of no Violence Against Women and Children.
Jephta was addressing officers after they marched from the Union Buildings to Church Square in Tshwane. Their theme is “Count me in: together moving a nonviolent South Africa forward”.
She said it was sad that just a few days ago, a woman was killed in the Western Cape due to her sexual orientation.
“Her body was picked up where she had been murdered. We cannot accept this,” Jephta said.
Colonel Refilwe Matlamela, from the visible policing division, social crime prevention, said sometimes police were both the victims and perpetrators.
“I am not proud to stand here and address you. I am very, very sad that we are contributing to violence.
“Violence occurs behind closed doors. Why are you keeping quiet?” she asked the officers.
She said if police kept quiet it would escalate to their workplace and influence their service delivery to communities.
Matlamela said the circle of domestic violence started with tension that built up to the point where abuse took place.
“The next thing, he will apologise, send you flowers and buy you a car and it will start all over until you are six feet under,” said Matlamela.
Jephta said police were not just activists for one day.
“We must make our voices heard for 365 days a year. We want to be visible for this cause,” she said.