GENDER BASED VIOLENCE AWARENESS CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED IN RABIE RIDGE

Members of the community, Men As Safety Promoters, Members of the SAPS, Gauteng Traffic Police including Family Violence and Child Protection Service gathered at Rabie Ridge Community Hall this morning, 2 September 2020, to launch “Gender Based Violence Brigades”.

The event was supported by Gauteng MEC for Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko. The MEC gave statistics for April until June regarding GBV cases.

*MEC of Community Safety, Faith Mazibuko in Rabie Ridge*

GBV Brigades were launched in the Rabie Ridge Community Hall following an increase in the scourge within the province.

The purpose of the programmme is to visit families in order to encourage women and children to break their silence and speak out so Gender Based Violence is reduced in the Rabie Ridge and Ivory Park Policing Precincts and and to refer victims to Empowerment Centres.

Brigadier David Ngcobo, the Station Commander of Ivory Park Police Station, encouraged the police to arrest perpetrators and not to victimize victims by asking them difficult questions when they want to report cases.

Brigadier Ngcobo also encouraged men to join the programmme to create safety for GBV victims.

A Door to door awareness campaign was also conducted to inform community members regarding Gender Based Violence with pamphlets distributed.

“The GBV brigades are expected to be on the frontline in their respective wards by visiting each and every household to educate and create awareness of the impact of gender-based violence. “

“The reason why we are launching the GBV Brigades is due to the high number of reported gender based violence cases in the province” said MEC Faith Mazibuko.

We must be able to identify elements of Gender Based Violence in our communities and immediately report those to the police ,” added MEC Mazibuko.

“We will be rolling out floor managers in our respective police stations to deal specifically with gender based violence cases who will take victims and survivors to the Victims Friendly Rooms,” said MEC Mazibuko.

“We want our GBV Brigades to be activists and always on guard whenever there are suspicious elements of Gender Based Violence.” she concluded.

Immediately Report GBV by calling the Crime Line 08600 10111.