Porterville ambassador against GBV says women need to stand up for themselves
CAPE TOWN - Witnessing incidents of gender-based violence in her community of Porterville, first hand, Natalie Coetzee decided to take up the fight to ensure victims are assisted and supported.Coetzee recently joined the Western Cape Department of Social Development's Gender-Based Violence Ambassador programme.These ambassadors are trained volunteers who provide information about support services available to residents for the intervention and prevention of GBV.Natalie Coetzee and her peers will support the local social development office with referrals of domestic violence cases to police and will also volunteer at the Porterville police station's victim-friendly room.She said that there was a great need for support for GBV victims in her community."I would see incidents happening in front of me, in the streets, in local pubs in our community. I saw a great need in our community, especially the young ladies and teenagers who get physically and mentally abused by their partners. I personally know what it feels like because I experienced it."Coetzee said it was high time women took a stand."We, as ladies, need to stand up for ourselves and say we need to stop being abused and we can get out of the relationship or situation and that there is help and that we will be OK. We are strong and we will get through it."
GBV Ambassador programmes are already operating in several other Western Cape communities, including Delft, Grabouw, Heinz Park, Elsies River, Langa and Bishop Lavis.
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