The rampant sexual abuse of women and children in South Africa and around the world has prompted the DUT Women In Action South Africa to stand up and raise awareness about the scourge.

The “End Rape in SA Protest” was held at the DUT City Campus on Valentine’s Day (Thursday 14 February 2013) and resonated with the international ‘One Billion Rising’ campaign. It was attended by DUT lecturers and students. Speaking at the event, Hajira Vahed-Greer, the programme co-ordinator said women all over the world need to take control of their lives and respond to sexual and gender based violence with a solid and clear programme of action. “This brutality directed to women is destroying our nation, people need to be educated about rape and we need to work together to fight rape. We cannot allow this to happen in our society. Our society needs healing (and) that is why we involve men in this peaceful and constructive protest. We need them to be vocal about this because we need a loving and caring society,” she said.

Addressing the crowd that carried placards which read “NO MORE Rape”,” STOP Rape”, “WAR ON RAPE”, etc, graphic design Lecturer Dannis Purvis said these horrific acts (rape incidents)were driven by the lack of ubuntu (humanity), saying people have lost their conscience. “This happens globally and not only in South Africa. This is an epidemic disease that needs to be fought against. We need to start by respecting ourselves and then we will be able to respect each other. We cannot have men who say when women wear miniskirts are asking to be raped. Women cannot be treated like objects. They are human beings,”he said.

Fine Art Lecturer Themba Shibase said an urgent intervention is needed to fight against women abuse. “We need workshops, campaigns and dialogues between men and women. At home as families, let us not hide this under the carpet. We need to put this on the table and have conversations about this and ostracise the perpetrators,” he said.

There was the planting of a tree to serve as a visual and contact reminder that rape and violence must be rejected in the strongest of terms. Speaking about the significance of the tree, Professor Graham Steward, DUT Arts and Design Faculty Deputy Dean said he hoped that the flower would remind everyone of the love that we need to show towards each other as well as the self love that is missing from many people’s lives. “Let’s learn to love and respect ourselves so that our families and communities stay together,” he said.

– Nkosinathi Wanda
Pictured: DUT students and lectures came together last week at the DUT City Campus and stood up against rape and gender based violence in a united front.