The city of Johannesburg has called on residents to become active participants in the fight against gender-based violence (GBV) scourge on Tuesday. This follows the statistics that showed that one in four women in Gauteng had experienced sexual violence in their lifetime.
Meanwhile more than half of the women in the Province (51.3%) had faced some form of violence in their lifetime. The Johannesburg Mayoral Committee (MMC) for Health and Social Development Cllr Sibongile Eunice Mgcina made a plea to the residents to intervene in the battle against GBV.
“We need everyone’s active participation if we are to end this scourge of violence against women and children in our City, in our Province and entire South Africa. These depressing statistics, which also show that three out of every four men in Gauteng admit to perpetrating some form of violence against women, are not going to change themselves,”
“We need the help of men and women from across all sectors of our society to work together to fight this scourge; this is not just a Government problem – it is a societal problem, and requires our collective efforts to end it,” she pleaded.
The City of Johannesburg has made an impassionate plea to its 5.6 million residents to join the battle against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide.
Last week they have week joined the World in marking the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children. This was an annual campaign which runs from 25 November to 10 December. Mgcina added and said that the campaign aimed to raise awareness about G and Femicide (GBVF).
“We are well-aware that GBV& F happens everywhere. Our message is clear and we are pleading with perpetrators to come forward and seek professional help as the City does offer psycho-social support services through City’s Ithemba Substance Abuse and Gender Based Violence 24 Hour Crisis Line 0800 223 217.” She added.
