Good morning everybody, we are in the middle of our 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign. We know that not a single day goes by without reports of the scourge of violence and abuse against women and children. And abuse is not only physical; it can also be emotional and economic.
The theme of this year’s 16 Days of Activism Campaign is “Count me in: Together Moving a Non-Violent South Africa Forward.”
“Count Me In” is a rallying call to mobilise all sectors of society to stand up and be counted in the fight to end violence against women and children. The emancipation of women, including their financial freedom, also remains a cardinal goal.
Why do victims of domestic violence who apply for a protection orders against their abusers, not return to court to finalise those orders? At our public meetings, women expressed that the fear of reprisal from their abusers and indicated their financial dependency on husbands, fathers, partners and family members increased their vulnerability and leaves them little choice but to remain in abusive relationships.
It is for this reason that many victims are reluctant to take action against their abusers. Even after reporting the matter to the police, many still go back to request the withdrawal of protection orders.
Why does economic abuse and a lack of financial freedom have such a devastating impact? I recently read an article which tells the following story: the couple had had an argument, the man attempted economic blackmail by leaving his wife and children without food for the weekend, and he finally resorted to violence. She fled with her young children to her family, but, after only one night away, she ventured back home armed with an interdict.
And herein lies the link between the high rate of woman abuse in South Africa and women’s lack of economic empowerment: In practical terms, this woman had to return home for clothes for herself and her children; she could not transport all the things she required for herself and her kids, such as clothes and blankets; and she needed to be at home to use her regular and already-paid-for means of transport to work. And, in the long term, she wanted to keep the home for which she had helped to paid for.
So the short of it is that if women are economically empowered it becomes easier for them to escape abusive relationships.
The 16 Day Campaign will this year have a greater focus on mobilising and partnering with men to assist in the eradication of violence against women and children. We as fathers, brothers and sons must take a stand against the war being raged against our women and children in our homes and communities.
In our years of struggle during the apartheid era, as youths we often turned to our mothers for strength and comfort. Now, twenty years into democracy, we, as fathers, brothers and sons must never forget the value of these pillars in our community.
Men can no longer be passive bystanders. It is time to confront and hold the abusive actions of other men to account. We must come out and say, publicly, that enough is enough. We, as men, must instill the values of human dignity, equality and respect for women in young men and boys. We must not remain silent.
Women have also expressed the need for drastic improvement in our child maintenance system so as to ensure that the best interest of minor children is protected.
The number of children who suffer from parental neglect and lack of support increases in an alarming rate. In every quarter our maintenance courts register a total of about 45 000 new maintenance applications, which means is that in every quarter there are about 45 000 parents who fail to maintain their children.
Our department has introduced maintenance mediation services at the pilot courts to speed up the finalisation of cases where parties are in agreement. Many applications for maintenance are now finalised through mediation services that often result in the granting of consent orders on the same day of application, if both parties are in court. This approach allows parties to deliberate and agree on how the maintenance order should be granted. It is faster, as it saves parties from going through the formal maintenance enquiry that often takes months.
Friends and comrades,
There is a saying that “A house where a woman and a child are unsafe, is not a home.”
What can we, as men, do to make our homes and our communities safer? Firstly, we can make our mothers, our sisters, our daughters and our neighbours aware of the Domestic Violence Act. The Domestic Violence Act seeks to protect those that suffer from abusive partners. The law not limited to those that are married, but also extends to those that live together or are in a relationship.
The act lists physical, sexual and emotional abuse as part of its mandate. Verbal abuse is also covered by the Act. Someone depriving a woman of necessary financial resources such as rent or bond payments for a home that is shared, could constitute economic abuse and is also covered by the Act.
A woman can apply for a domestic violence protection order at the nearest Magistrates Court, free of charge. This is granted by first applying for an interim protection order. An application for a protection order can also be filed on behalf of someone by a social worker, teacher, health service provider and someone from SAPS. A minor can also apply for a protection order unassisted.
When granting the protection order, the court may impose on the respondent an obligation to pay rent or make mortgage payments having regard to the financial needs and resources of the child or any other complainant. This order may be effective until such time that a maintenance order is granted in terms of the Maintenance Act.
The Protection Order is enforceable throughout the country- meaning that the complainant may go to the nearest police station to enforce the order, even though such police station does not fall under the jurisdictional area of the court that issued the order.
There is a lot more that we can do to fight abuse and violence. Men must not look away, we must not be bystanders and we must not be silent. We can play an active role in ridding the society of harmful practices such as forced marriages and trafficking of women and children. We can foster a culture of respect for women, persons with disabilities, children and other men and be role models to younger boys in our communities.
You may never see a man abusing his partner or witness a rape, but you will very likely see and hear attitudes and behaviours that degrade women and promote violence and abuse. When you hear boys and young men talking about abusing or degrading women, do not just walk past, but stop and correct their behaviour. Teach them that women are not public property. If a brother, a friend or a neighbour is abusing his female partner or is disrespectful or abusive to girls and women in general, don’t look the other way. Do not remain silent.
As government we remain committed to strengthen partnerships and collaboration with NGOs, community based organisations, civil society, community leaders and faith-based organisations in ensuring the best interests of women and children and in making everyday a safe and violence-free day.
I would like to thank POMESA for their valued partnership. POMESA is a growing national non-governmental organisation which mobilizes boys and men in townships and rural communities to take responsibility as men to bring peace, love and security to their families. Working with local police and courts, POMESA and its affiliates often assist women and children in getting legal relief, such as protection orders and maintenance orders.
We have also successfully partnered with the men’s sector, SAMAC (South African Men’s Action Group), CONTRALESA (Congress of Traditional Leaders of South Africa), SANAC (South African Aids Councils), NAPWA (National Association of People) and SANCA (South African National Council on Alcoholism and Drugs.
With these interventions and programmes and the active participation by all, we are confident that our efforts will contribute to eradicate poverty and violence in our communities. Let us send a strong message and say – “My child’s future is my priority - I pay maintenance” and “Real men support their families financially.”
Phansi poverty and economic abuse phansi!
