Don’t give children toy guns and normalise violence

GUN Free South Africa and Sonke Gender Justice have partnered on a campaign to encourage parents and caregivers, friends and family, to support a toy gun-free festive season.

The campaign “Don’t Groom For Violence!” is being held within the context of a national gun violence emergency.

The 2019 national crime statistics show that guns are the leading cause of murder in South Africa (47% of murders in 2018/19 were from gunshots and 31% were knife-related).

In Gauteng, gunshots have overtaken motor vehicle accidents, to become the leading cause of death, which means the province now has the death profile of a country at war.

According to Suleiman Henry, senior trainer at Sonke Gender Justice: “Toys are an instrument of socialisation, every toy given to a child carries the message that we approve of that toy.

“When we buy toys that imitate real weapons, children are encouraged to play at violence, so normalising violence.

“Instead of being socialised into violence, boys should be encouraged to embrace their caring side. We want to raise boys who say no to violence.”

Nonhlanhla Skosana, community mobilisation and education manager at Sonke Gender Justice explains the purpose of the campaign: “‘Don’t Groom For Violence!’ supports a longerterm vision of a safer South Africa.

“By encouraging gifts that are fun and educational rather than toys of war, death and intimidation, children,

Toy guns are dangerous and can cause injuries, even death Mary Ann Nobele GUN FREE SA YOUTH CO-ORDINATOR

their families and friends can actually begin to experience what it would be like to live in a country free from violence, even in play.”

According to Mary Ann Nobele, Gun Free South Africa’s youth coordinator: “Toy guns are dangerous and can cause injuries, even death.”

A national long-term study from the USA shows that airguns (also called non-powder, paintball or BB guns) cause some of the most serious eye injuries treated, which can result in partial or complete blindness. About 7% of the children injured by non-powder guns in the USA needed to be admitted to hospital.

Another risk is that children mistake a real gun for a toy.

According to another US study, nearly 60% of children aged between 7 and 17, can’t tell the difference between toy guns and real firearms.

The study is relevant, given that police officers in South Africa often recover toy guns from criminals, who’ve used these fake guns to commit crimes. |