SABC launches radio campaign to end GBV

The Herald

3 days ago

The Gqeberha Pride Festival and nonprofit Transforming Women and Youth in Social Trends (TWYST) Foundation, have welcomed the SABC 's anti-gender-based violence (GBV) campaign.
The broadcaster said on Saturday the campaign would run on the SABC ' s 19 radio stations with the aim of creating awareness about the damage caused by GBV.
This would be done through programmes geared towards educating the youth, caregivers and communities at large.
The message is: 'If you see it, speak out. If you're hurting, reach out. Because doing nothing is not an option. GBV. It ends with you. Call 0800-428-428 to report abuse or get help.'
TWYST founder Ntombozuko Jafta, from KwaNobuhle, welcomed the SABC's initiative, saying it came at a time when she had started to feel defeated by the scourge of violence against women.
In June, a 12-year-old-girl was killed in Motherwell and two girls were found burnt in KwaNobuhle just days apart.
'GBV is getting worse,' Jafta said.
'Two sisters were gunned down while they were sleeping in Kariega, and while we were looking at a report about that a police officer shot his ex-girlfriend and their friend before killing himself in Central.
'There are also cases which are not reported.
'While we are protesting, you find people telling you that the neighbour raped their younger sister and threatened to kill them if they told anyone.
'There are cases of children with disabilities who cannot talk.
'Unlike our small protests in Motherwell, Kariega or Despatch, our voices will now be on the airwaves and this will have a huge impact on the people on the ground.'
The Herald Nelson Mandela University Citizens of the Year Awards 2022 winner in the gender-based violence category said men needed to be in the forefront in the fight against GBV.
SABC group executive for radio Nada Wotshela said: 'As the country grapples with GBV, which has become a national emergency affecting women, children, men and members of the LGBTQ+ community, the public broadcaster felt it was important to lend its voice and platforms in further fighting this deadly societal disease through our platforms.
'We will be amplifying various stakeholders ' efforts through specially curated daily content on this matter.'
According to Sicebise Social Inclusion programme manager Mbulelo Xinana, the SABC's campaign forms part of the national strategic plan on GBV.
Sicebise Social Inclusion hosts the annual Gqeberha Pride Festival, which serves as an awareness campaign against GBV, especially on issues of violence against the LGBTQ+ community.
'The best way to fight GBV is to raise awareness which is how you make a change by interacting with stakeholders to make a difference,' Xinana said.
'When we talk about GBV we must acknowledge that violence against the LGBTQ+ community is GBV.
'One of the things not talked about much is the intimate partner violence, because being in the LGBTQ+ community is already taboo.
'How do you even report such an issue not knowing how it would be handled?
'Those are [some of the] issues that we are looking into as an organisation.'
The Herald