The EFF marks the international campaign against gender-based violence, 16 Days of Activism, by calling on all South Africans to raise awareness on the plight of women abuse in our communities. We call on all social institutions, in particular with the religion, sports, arts, entertainment, labour and business.

South Africa is a society in the war against its women. The SA Medical Research Council (MRC) found that 40% of men assault their partners daily and that three women in South Africa are killed by their intimate partner every day. This is in addition to the generally high levels of rape and murder from strangers. It means women face danger from both strangers and their loved ones.

This is must be seen as a function of patriarchal domination and the privilege of toxic masculinities. A society that celebrates violent men and in which all disputes are resolved through violence will always result in high levels of violence against its vulnerable populations: women and children.

We need a transvaluation of masculinity where we begin to breed men who respect women and never use their physical strength against them. To achieve this, it will take all of society to declare a war against abuse men and rapists in general.

Many of the violence against women occurs with the full knowledge of parents or the family. It is often the very parents and relatives that discourage the laying of charges. This makes perpetrators not to be held accountable and to perpetuate the same violence on others.

We, therefore, call on families in South African to stop being incubators of violence against women. We call on them to stop protecting perpetrators of violence against women in the name of being family members. Reporting them does not embarrass them, it helps them to be helped by being held accountable for their actions.

All branches of the EFF must engage in activities that raise awareness on violence against women in this 16 Days of Activism. Emphasis must be placed on the girl child who not only has no physical strength, but also no voice to speak for themselves. Fighters must begin by isolating abusers within the movement and encourage victims to report cases of sexual abuse. We must also provide support to victims and help at all times that justice is found.

We believe that economic freedom, that is, access to land, quality jobs, free education, banks, and general industry for women, empower them to be able to build their own lives without having to depend on abusive men. This is even more important for rural women who are denied ownership of the land.

Finally, we call on all professional bodies in fields like law, accounting, engineering, medicine, security and others, to establish structures that give support to women who face sexual abuse in the workplace. It is no secret that mentorship programs privilege men and that many men ask for sex in exchange for professional support to women.

In these 16 Days of Activism, let all institutions and social formations look deeply internally and uproot cultures of sexual exploitation against women.

 

Issued by EFF