Today we are here to mark an important period in our South African calendar, the 16 days of activism against violence and abuse of women’s rights, human rights, on which our SA Constitution is based.

You will note that I am wearing my Blue sash again. It reminds us of the black Sash, an organisation started 60 years ago to protest against the removal of the so-called coloured people from the voters roll. They mobilised the support of thousands of others to march in protest against laws which would disenfranchise others. We remember members like Sheena Duncan and Molly Blackburn from Port Elizabeth who hid many an injured activist fleeing from the apartheid police in her home – we have one of them in the gallery today – Molo Sisi. Wamkilekele.

Many people from all walks of life fought for freedom, equality, justice and dignity. These are now guaranteed by law but have we as citizens internalised those values? Are they part of our psyche?

Can we say that all our citizens are accorded dignity, that there are no longer any second class citizens in South Africa?

One simply has to look at the statistics about gender abuse and domestic violence to realise that this is not the case at all.

Since 1994 there has been a 40% increase in the number of sexual offences committed.

In 2013/14 there were 172 sexual offences committed every day. If this house represented SA, approximately half of us would have experienced sexual assault.

Statistics SA reveals that only about 14% of perpetrators of rape are convicted and that only 1 in 9 rapes in South Africa are reported. Is this perhaps because victims do not have confidence in the system?

I don’t have time to go into all the reasons for this, but may I recommend this little book on Gender based violence, a review of the work of the fourth Parliament by our Research department.

It has an excellent analysis of the problems and also provides solutions, especially for SAPS and the Justice system.

In brief, good management by professional staff who are fit for purpose, proper financial resourcing and controls could make all the difference.

The struggle for gender equality takes many forms because of the complex nature of patriarchy, which is still very prevalent, not only in traditional societies but also behind closed doors in suburbs and townships.

Discrimination of all types is alive and well and when I recall some of the invective and statements made recently in this house, I am saddened and wonder what has happened to the dream of a rainbow nation.

The LGBTI sector are still victimised and Lesbian women in particular are still persecuted and suffer corrective rape by self righteous men who wish to enforce their power and have no respect for others. There should be no place for hate crimes in a constitutional democracy.

2 other types of abuse that are increasing day by day are child pornography and cyber bullying. Social Media is becoming the new school yard for bullies

Teens say cruel behaviour takes place

on twitter 23,8%

on Facebook 92.6%

on MySpace 17,7%

on instant messenger 15,2%

When being bullied

65,8% of teens responded to the bully

15,4% avoided school

4.5% have been in a physical fight with their bully.

This while Parents remain oblivious.

25% of teens claim to be targets of cyber bullying

2/3 of teens have witnessed cruel behaviour online

10% of parents are aware that their teens are targets of cyber bullying.

I appeal to parents to be vigilant and try to build up a good trusting relationship with their children so that they can be aware of the new dangers of people preying on their children. This is a new type of abuse and we as legislators will have to be this in mind and update our legislation.

Honourable Speaker, may I, through you, request that we as leaders of our nation, in the spirit of harmony signified by the lighting of the Peace Torch, all stand for a minute to honour and respect those who have died and suffered as a result of abuse and intolerance of others whose lifestyle might be different from ours.

Let us remember many women from all walks of life who suffered loss and died to bring about the freedom we enjoy today

Count us all in as we move towards a non violent society.