Roundup: S. Africa launches 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women/Children

South Africa on Friday launched the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women and Children amid a surge in gender-based violence.

"This campaign is about uniting all in our country behind one message that women and children must be safe and must feel safe at home, in the streets and anywhere in the country," President Jacob Zuma said at the launching ceremony in Lebowakgomo, Limpopo Province.

The campaign coincided with the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children.

South Africa uses this day each year to launch the 16 Days of Activism of No Violence against Women and Children and to take stock of progress made in fighting the abuse and violence directed at women and children.

The theme of this year's 16 Days Campaign, which says "Count Me In: Together Moving a Non-Violent South Africa Forward", urges all of South Africans to fight the scourge of violence against women and children.

This year's campaign takes the form of the launch of National Dialogues on Violence Against Women and Children.

"Informed by our country's Constitution which turns 20 years old next month, the government is determined to use all resources at its disposal to make the country safer for women and children," Zuma said.

Violence against women and children manifests itself openly in serious crimes such as murder, sexual assault, domestic violence, assault with intent to do grievous bodily harm or human trafficking, according to Zuma.

"What is of serious concern is that most women are attacked by men they know and in most cases men they are intimate with -- their husbands or partners. We are losing more and more women at the hands of their violent intimate partners," said Zuma.

International studies show that women often turn a blind eye to the violence in their intimate relationships or sometimes prefer to live in denial or disbelief. They also live in hope that the perpetrator will change their behaviour.

"The danger about living in an unattended violent relationship is that it intensifies over time until it leads to death," Zuma noted.

Violence against women has been declared a priority crime by the government.

"Women must not be scared to report the perpetrators to the police," Zuma said.

The campaign was launched amid horrific tales of violent attacks against women and children, such as the recent gang-rape of a 13-year-old girl by 10 men in Nyanga, Cape Town.

Importantly, violence against women and children is not a private matter, Zuma said.

"It is everybody's business. Neighbours must not keep quiet when they see or hear women or children being attacked or abused," said the president.

South Africa has legislation in place such as the Sexual Offences Act, Children's Act, Domestic Violence Act, the Child Justice Act, Older Persons Act and many other laws which are important instruments to fight abuse.

Zuma urged all police officers to receive women sensitively when they come to report the cases of abuse or violence at the police stations.

"Women should not keep quiet, and must use all avenues to report abuse and to seek help," he said.

Zuma stressed that improving the economic status of women is also paramount in order to stop the financial and economic dependence on men, which makes many women vulnerable to abuse.

The government does not work alone in fighting abuse, said Zuma.

"We acknowledge all non-governmental organizations that support women in distress. They run shelters for abused women, crisis centres and call centres."

"We acknowledge religious leaders, traditional leaders and community leaders to whom these cases are also reported. We appeal to them to continue supporting victims and survivors of such cases," he said.

The government, Zuma said, recognizes organizations run by women and men's organizations, raising awareness and promoting positive role models for men and boys in the campaign of promoting safer homes and communities. Enditem