Cape Town – With domestic violence reports increasing by the day, the #EndDomesticSilence initiative is creating tea talks and dialogues to engage in open, honest conversations about domestic violence and ways in which to better address the issue.
The initiative, in collaboration with Unilever tea brand, Joko, and People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), aims to train non-governmental organisations on the numerous aspects of domestic violence and, also make a significant impact in ending the silence around domestic violence in South Africa, by supporting victims of violence in ending their silence through information, tools and the provision of more safe spaces.
In order to steer the initiative forward, the non-profit Philisa Abafazi Bethu (Xhosa for Healing Our Women) organisation, located in Lavender Hill, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with POWA to highlight issues, allow the tea talk programme to go forward and other domestic violence prevention programmes that will be implemented to support, guide and offer educational materials.
Philisa Abafazi Bethu founder and chiefe executive, Lucinda Evans said that reassurance and protection is necessary in order to give hope and a voice to the voiceless.
“The collaboration with POWA will enable the organisation to learn more about domestic violence through training and capacity building. This partnership will also raise GBV awareness and add our voice to the collective voice on keeping women safe, because we aim to be an organisation that others can rely on for protection and reassurance. We will stop at nothing to make sure that women have a place that offers them hope in often intolerable situations,” said Evans.
Head of Projects at POWA Kate Mocheki, said that the major objective is to strengthen training in order to fortify the active voice and agency of local communities in ending the silence on domestic violence, alongside other critical role players in government and civil society.
“Our work is rooted in the belief that change can only be effective when women’s lives are directly improved through our interventions. POWA also believes that there is no single route to change, and so constantly seeks new and creative approaches in our programming to achieve the change we seek.”
“The training empowers organisations to better address domestic violence, providing knowledge on its many forms and signs, its contributing factors and effects, legal and practical steps to leave domestic violence and various resources to address it, among various other valuable information.”
“The sector strengthening training aims to build the capacity of community-based organisations to better respond to domestic violence, while assisting them to offer women a safe space where they can share their experiences to receive the support they need to end their abuse,” said Mocheki.
Part of the #EndDomesticSilence campaign will include educating business entities, and public sectors across South Africa on various elements of domestic abuse. This partnership will help facilitate education in these sectors in order to strengthen women and allow women, suffering from domestic violence in cities, townships and villages across the country, to have a platform and be confined in the sisterhood that will be formed at the table.
Weekend Argus