The numbers speak for themselves: a vast number of women in South Africa are living in danger. According to a study by Statistics South Africa, one in five (21%) women with partners has experienced physical violence by a partner in their lifetime, and 6% have experienced sexual violence. The prevalence of physical violence is the highest among women in the Eastern Cape, while the North West province has the highest rate of women who have experienced sexual violence (11,8%).
Shocking as it is, it tells only half the tale. The horrors women face on a daily basis abound and are often left unspoken. The North-West University (NWU) hopes to rectify this, and the recently held Wellness Week awareness campaign, with events such as Walk a mile in my shoes, highlighted the plight of many women.
According to Beàtha Groenewald, who heads the Potchefstroom Student Campus Council portfolio for Current Affairs as the Transformation and Diversity Officer, the Walk a mile in my shoes initiative served to raise awareness about gender-based violence. The name, Walk in my shoes, is furthermore symbolic of the victim's challenging journey to become a survivor and a thriver. The event took place on the Potchefstroom Campus, where celebrities such as Springbok legend Victor Matfield, actress Angelique Gerber and media personality Katinka die Kat joined the walk from the Amphitheatre across the campus to Cachet Park. The men wore women’s shoes and vice versa.
“We need to have integrity and respect for each other. We must never misuse one another,” says Groenewald. “That is one way we can lessen gender-based violence across the country.”
The Director: Student Life on the Potchefstroom Campus, Dr Corrie Rheeder, also emphasised that the NWU is unwavering in its quest to keep addressing gender-based violence.
“Gender-based violence is a plague that needs to be eradicated and a poison we need an antidote for. The more we create awareness about this travesty, this injustice, the more we can curtail it. The voices of victims need to be heard and we need to continue to create platforms for these voices to tell their stories. These brave souls who share their harrowing ordeals need our support, and I am proud to say that the North-West University is committed to its pursuit of stopping gender-based violence.
“By providing support to victims of gender-based violence and through our strong relationship with law enforcement authorities in the communities we serve and our numerous awareness initiatives, we will remain steadfast in our resolve to protect the vulnerable. More can always be done, and we will continue to do more. This is not only our pledge, it is our responsibility.”
If you are a victim of gender-based or sexual violence, please contact the NWU Wellness 24-hour helpline at 0800 213 149 or email the NWU’s counselling services at NWU@lifehealthcare.co.za. Your privacy and safety are our first priority.
