16 Days o Activism against violence

Join in the international 16 days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children campaign. It runs from 25 November to 10 December (Human Rights Day) and there many ways for us to contribute towards a less violent society.

Raising awareness the world over

Although it’s an international campaign, the 16 days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children has special resonance here in South Africa. Abuse and cruelty towards women and children seem to feature in the headlines almost daily. There have been some horrific cases in the past few years and it’s easy to feel that we’re making no progress in curbing the violence.

Count us all in to help curb violence against women and children

The South African theme for 2014 is Count me in: together moving a non-violent South Africa forward.

It highlights an important point: we all need to get involved and raise awareness that this type of violence is unacceptable in a world where we value human rights. Women and children are human too, with the same rights as men.

There is a wealth of information about the campaign on the government website, including a calendar of events. Why not use it as a springboard to find an activity that you can identify with?

One of the easiest ways of showing support for the campaign is by wearing a white ribbon during the 16 days.

Another is to volunteer your services at one of the NGO’s or community groups that assist women and children in trouble.

One that we especially like is to put someone you know that is a victim of violence in touch with an organisation that can help them. You could even phone on their behalf to find out how to go about getting assistance. The list includes help for the elderly as well as families because the victims of violence aren’t restricted to women and children. Some men are victims too. It’s just that women and children seem to be the victims in over-whelming numbers.

Here is a list of sources of help off the government website:

• SAPS Crime Stop 08600 10111
• STOP Gender Violence Helpline 0800 150 150/ *120*7867# from any cell phone
• Childline- Report child abuse 0800 055 555
• Elderly people helpline 0800 003 081
• Family and Marriage Society of South Africa Advice on family relationships 011 975 7107
• Thuthuzela Care Centres- 012 8456136
• Suicide Crisis Line 0800 567 567
• Alcoholics Anonymous SA 0861 435 722
• Substance Abuse Helpline 0800 121 314
• Narcotics Anonymous SA 0839 00 69 62
• Mental Health Information Line 0800 567 567
• AIDS Helpline 0800 012 322 / 011 725 6710
• Crisis Line 0861 574747
• National Crisis Line- Counselling Service 086 132 2322
• Human Trafficking 08000 737 283 (08000 rescue) / 082 455 3664
• SA National Council for Child Welfare 011 339 5741
• Legal Aid 0800 1110 110

If you know anyone that needs physical protection at home, call in your local Trellidor franchise for free advice on making a home a safe haven.