The Gender Forum which is based at the Durban University of Technology hosted a webinar in commemoration of National Women’s Day, focusing on Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide in South Africa.

The webinar was held on Friday, 7 August 2020 and featured guest speakers Cyril Palany and Dr Pearl Kupe, who both gave an overview of their work that they are embarking on in the fight against the scourge of Gender-Based Violence (GBV) and Femicide in South Africa.

Welcoming DUT staff and guests to the online webinar was the University’s Gender Forum Chairperson Dr Rosaline Govender, who said that statistics show that Gender-based violence (GBV) is rooted in unequal power relations and social stereotypes.

“Population-based surveys show very high levels of intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence (SV) in particular, with Intimate Partner Violence being the most common form of violence against women. Whilst people of all genders perpetrate and experience intimate partner and/ or sexual violence, men are most often the perpetrators and women and children the victims,” she said.

According to the statistics on Gender-based Violence in South Africa, it indicated that there are approximately 44 reported murders that take place daily in South Africa. “More than half of all the women murdered (56%) were killed by an intimate male partner. South Africa has one of the highest rates in the world of girls and women being victims of rape,” she stressed. Dr Govender also added that between 28% and 37% of adult men report having raped a woman.

“South Africa also faces a high prevalence of gang rape. Most men who rape do so for the first time as teenagers and almost all men who ever rape do so by their mid-20s,” she said.

Adding to Dr Govender’s conversation on the seriousness of Gender-based Violence was Cyril Palany, an ordained Religious Minister, and founder of Turning Point for Men. The organisation works with men to change insights into Gender-based Violence and also works with boys at schools to mentor and teach them how to treat women. In his talk, the activist emphasised that a group of men have now come together on a national level with an organisation called Men Opposed to Women Abuse (MOWA). Palany, who is also the Deputy President of MOWA, said the organisation was formed to empower more men to speak up as the fight of women abuse is not just a fight for women.

“We are raising a generation of young boys that have a different set of ideals and that girls are inferior and unable to do certain things. Due to these myths, the misinformation of gender roles leads to toxicity, therefore the issue of respect starts at home, teaching boys to treat women in the family with respect and equality which needs to start with the role of parents,” he said.

The second guest speaker was Dr Pearl Kupe, an attorney, Social Dialogue and Transformational Leadership Expert, Executive Coach and International Consultant. She said that changing the mindset of men and behavior is crucial, especially at religious levels and institutions.

“Any man who rapes a young woman, it is a show of weakness and also depicts a man who does not have self-control. This is what a young man needs to understand that raping is a sign of weakness and needs to addressed culturally,” she stressed.

Dr Kupe also spoke on the importance of empowering women to be entrepreneurs, as most women do not leave an abused relationship because of not being financially independent.

Dr Govender concluded the webinar, saying that Gender-based Violence stops with each person and that there is a need to disrupt the status quo of patriarchy which perpetuates the myth that boys are more important than girls.

“If you have been a victim of violence it does not mean that you must continue this vicious cycle. Speak out against Gender-based Violence -expose the perpetrator. In order to change the society that we live in and change the narrative of Gender-based Violence we must encounter a paradigm shift-we must change the way we think about women, girls and each other. We must change our behavior and ‘unlearn’ unacceptable behaviour and beliefs that women are second class citizens,” she stressed.

Pictured: Cyril Palany

Waheeda Peters