ANTI-SEXUAL OFFENCE CAMPAIGN TAKEN TO CHURCHES

The incidence of sexual offence against women and children is a real problem in our communities and it is committed by people that ought to love and protect. The Department of Community Safety and Transport Management's Crime Prevention unit together with the Boitekong SAPS yesterday, 26 November 2017, visited the Uniting Reformed Church of South Africa in Boitekong Township, Rustenburg.

The visit was part of the Anti- Sexual Offence Campaign and the purpose of the campaign was to create awareness as well as empower one another in the fight against sexual offences and abuse of women and children. But the campaign was also meant to encourage community members and organisations to report such crimes.

“Though there are other crimes committed like house breaking and car theft in Boitekong, there is also a high rate of sexual offences and rape committed against women and children. Of which most of the perpetrators are people close to the victims, some are uncles, step fathers, neighbours, siblings, etc. What is worse is that most of these cases, involving close family members and neighbours are not reported. There is fear, some buy favours and others make arrangements to silence people. Much, against the wish and will of the victims who continue to suffer the physical, social and psychological effects alone. We urge the community to work together with the police in their fight against this crime”, said Constable Ketshepile Mathelela of Boitekong Local Police station.

Boitumelo Maraba from the Departmental Crime Prevention unit explained the different kinds of sexual offences to the congregation. “Rape and sexual assaults are acts of sexual violation and are committed without the consent of the victim. This kind of criminal acts should be reported to the police all the times. Sexual offence is a serious issue that happens not only to young girls and women, but also to young boys. Hence we need to start talking and educating our young boys and girls on these issues.

What women wear should not be used as a scapegoat. We should teach our boys from an early stage of life so that we can change the mind set of our sons. Motswana are; 'lo ojwa lo sa le metsi', teach them whilst they are still young and tender at heart'. Our boys must grow up to be responsible men and fathers who loves and respects women, girls and boys", she said.

We can only win this battle if we, as communities, churches, the government and the South African Police Service, stand together and protect our beloved ones. The saamtrek and saamwerk approach to issues that continue to ravage our communities by violating our precious women and girl-children, will get us the necessary results; reduction and ultimate stoppage to this scourge of crime.

Let’s make it our responsibilities as churches and communities, as well as men and women, to prevent gender-based violence. We should teach, nurture and guide our young boys from a young age about how to treat and respect women. Our men and boys must refrain from alcohol and drug abuse which is often excuses submitted in defence of the crime committed against women and children.

Let us say no to violence. Let us live a violent free life. Let us say not in my name. Lets us chase the perpetrators out. Lets us report all the gender based violence. Lets us support the victims. Let our communities become safe havens for the victims and help to root out this gender based violence. Crime is crime, even when committed by siblings, parents, fathers, boys, neighbours, elders in the family and neighbourhood.

Church leaders have a duty to encourage members to report confessions made to the police in order to help eradicate this scourge.

Boitekong has made an unfortunate presence in the SAPS 2016/17 Crime Statistics report release recently as a crime riddled Mining Township, surpassing the notorious places like Kanana and Wolmaranstadt.


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