Posting videos is not enough
AROONA Chetty, director of Phoenix Child Welfare and supervisor for Sahara Women’s Shelter (servicing Phoenix/Mount Moriah and Mount Royal areas):
We take on cases daily and are seeing high incidence of violence and domestic abuse.
A combination of factors leads to this but at the root it is people not knowing how to handle conflict. It is also largely impacted by how a man has been socialised.
Many men grew up with violence and they don’t know alternative ways to resolve conflict so, as adults, they do the same.
Another problem is that too many people seem to have access to guns. The level of gun use in domestic violence cases that come to us is worrying. Unemployment, drugs and alcohol addiction are also among the many issues in our homes.
But it is important to remember that not only poor households are affected by domestic violence. Often the rich are also abused but they are embarrassed to reach out for help. So we see women taking to painkillers, sometimes alcohol, but they eventually reach out for help.
Alishia Joseph, a social worker at the Aryan Benevolent Home’s VJ Kara Family Centre in Chatsworth:
On an average month, we have about 15 women and children who need accommodation and assistance at the shelter due to abuse.
We’ve had people trapped in violent situations, (where they were) physically abused, and threatened to be killed by their partners. They call the police and are admitted to us.
I think the levels of violence are escalating. The reason seems to be drug and alcohol abuse in the home, by both men and women.
Dr Anshu Padayachee of the Advice Desk For the Abused in Durban:
Women are now talking more about it and trying to get help and access advice, so more women are coming forward.
There are other indicators that we must consider.
The rise in suicides among young women and the rise in women taking to painkillers and alcohol. Women try to cope with domestic violence in different ways. For me, the greatest impact is on the children who are witnessing this.
They begin to see this as normal behaviour and they lose respect for women and mimic the same behaviour in their relationships later on.
Asked what they thought was a way forward in clamping down on violence against women, two points were emphasised:
Tackle the issue at grassroots and school level, by educating children about conflict resolution, anger management and respecting each other – regardless of gender.
At a government level, steps should be taken to better implement existing policy and law.
This should start with calling on the workers from NGOs, that have been shut down over the years due to lack of funding, and getting their input on the domestic problems in their communities, and possible ways to deal with these. – Latoya Newman THERE is a growing trend among the victims of gender-based violence to upload photographs, and sometimes videos, exposing their abusers and injuries and telling their stories.
While their efforts are bold and courageous, experts have warned that this was not enough to get the perpetrators behind bars.
Attorney Umesh Jivan said photographs and video footage would be used as evidence in court and the authenticity of the posting would need to be verified to ensure it was not fabricated.
“In South Africa, we have a justice system in place to handle and deal with cases of domestic abuse and violence. While women turn to social media for help, they must understand reporting the abuse to the police will help them get justice. In the recent case with singer Bongekile Simelane (aka Babes Wodumo), the prosecuting authority will decide if the livestream can be used as evidence. If it is allowed, the court will have to ensure its authenticity.”
Simelane made headlines when she live-streamed a video on Instagram of her boyfriend, kwaito musician Mandla “Mampintsha” Maphumulo, allegedly assaulting her.
He has since hit back, saying she was drunk and he is actually the victim of abuse in the relationship.
Social media expert Timothy Padayachee said that with the global campaigns against abuse, such as the #MeToo movement, more women are speaking out.
“Speaking out and posting it on social media are little steps to the bigger picture. If you really want to take action against your abuser, you have to follow the legal processes. Posting pictures and videos are not enough and it will not send that person to prison.”
Padayachee said the video or images would only be used in court as evidence.
“In most cases, the defence attorney will question the authenticity of the photograph or video to determine if it is fake and whether it had been tampered (edited or photoshopped) with. An expert will have to come in to verify that it is an original video.”
Anshu Padayachee, of the Advice Desk for Abused Women, said it took a lot for a woman to post content of abuse on social media.
“One must remember, these videos and images are being seen and shared by thousands of people on all social media platforms. This is done as a means to get help.”
She said in Durban there were only three shelters for them to turn to and at most times, they were “packed to capacity”.
“We need the government to invest in NGOs. There are too many shelters closing down due to the lack of funding. In country’s like the UK, the government prides itself in providing shelters for women.”
The spokesperson for the Department of Social Development in KZN, Ncumisa Ndelu, said: “Abuse in the home has a huge impact on children. They see the abuse and in some cases become violent. By reporting the incidents we are putting an end to abuse. Government is trying its very best to help women.”