Gender-Based Violence (GBV) remains a huge issue in the country as more women were reportedly raped between April and June 2021.
The country’s crime statistics showed that contact crime in the Western Cape has increased by 50% while Sex-related crimes have increased by 74%. The province has witnessed several GBV related crimes during the month of September, starting with 27-year-old Siphokazi Booi, whose body was found dismembered and burnt in Paarl.
The latest GBV crime to be reported was that of Sinathi Magqazana, a 24-year-old mother from Hermanus who was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer on Saturday, September 11. Her body was found in a refuse bag.
Sinathi Magqazana, a 24-year-old mother from Hermanus was allegedly bludgeoned to death with a hammer. Her remains were then stuffed in a refuse bag, which was later found on the doorstep of her boyfriend on Saturday, September 11. https://t.co/9HnRm4BBSB pic.twitter.com/jAg1GT64Kl
— Cape {town} Etc (@CapeTownEtc) September 15, 2021
Khayelitsha residents also gathered on Wednesday to pay tribute to a victim of GBV that was one of three women murdered in recent months. According to EWN, a 79-year-old woman was raped and killed inside of her home in June and another woman’s body was discovered close to the Khayelitsha stadium in August.
Meanwhile, advocacy and civil society organisations have approved the three GBV bills announced by President Cyril Ramaphosa, who mentioned during the family meeting on Sunday that this would strengthen the criminal justice system and ensure harsher penalties, IOL reports.
Jacob Tema, a social worker at Alexandra-based Rays of Hope, mentioned to Cape {town} Etc that they are focusing on addressing the scourge of GBV in townships, and believes that anger is at the root of the GBV that shatters families and traumatizes the community, rather than political legacies.
“We’re not going to change the ubiquity of gender-based violence and child abuse until we understand the root cause of perpetrators’ anger, because it is only a deeply angry person that will choose to inflict physical and emotional abuse on another person – even more so if the victim is a family member,” Tema said.
The Western Cape government has also set aside R60.4 million to effectively tackle Gender-Based Violence (GBV) in the province with the Department of Social Development and Community Safety having programmes in place to prevent and fight against GBV and femicide in the province.
Gender based violence resources South Africa:
- Rape Crisis Cape Town Hotline: 021 447 9762
- South African GBV Hotline: 0800 428 428
- Tears Foundation: 010 590 5920 / www.tears.co.za / [email protected]
- Childline South Africa: 0800 055 555 / www.childline.org.za / [email protected]
- People Opposed to Woman Abuse: 011 642 4345 / www.powa.co.za / [email protected]
- Community Intervention Centre Helpline: 082 821 3447
- Free Legal Advice on WhatsApp (LawForAll): 063 603 3759
- Stop Domestic Violence Helpline (Lifeline): 0800 150 150
- Suicide Helpline: 0800 567 567
- SAPS: 10111
- National Counselling Line: 0861 322 322
- Legal Aid: 0800 110 110
Useful websites:
https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/gcis_speech/THUTHUZELA%20Care%20Centres.pdf
https://rapecrisis.org.z
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Picture Rays of Hope