A society is often measured by the way it treats its women and children and unfortunately our country’s statistics in this regard indicate that South Africa is turning a blind eye to how the most vulnerable ones in our communities are being treated, says adv Anton Alberts, chairperson of the FF Plus.
According to adv Alberts, a society that tolerates violence against women and children is on a slippery slope to where anything goes.
He says that women and children must be protected and cherished and we need to ask serious questions about the high incidence of violence against women and children in our country as well as what can be done to put a stop to it.
“The question should actually not be why the figures are so high, but why we have figures like these at all. The causes of this kind of violence and abuse are both simple and complex. Simple, because the offenders are not afraid to commit these heinous acts, and complex, because often the offenders were also the victims of similar acts of violence.
“Another cause is insufficient policing by the police and the community, which can actually reinforce the invisible wall of morality by means of prosecution and disapproval. The complex causes are inextricably linked to where and how people are raised. In South Africa, the use of violence is generally accepted on various levels of society.
“Other influences include the media through the internet, films, television, daily news reports, advertisements and so on as well as parents that may have grown up in violent households themselves.
“The abovementioned is illustrative of the fact that our society has always been undermined by some form of bullying behaviour. A bully is someone that has some kind of inappropriate influence or power over another person. Only when we realise this and address it, can the grip, and the vicious cycle, of violence be broken.
“A good starting point to solving this problem is to strengthen the forces that offer protection to the victims, like the police and the child protection unit.
“Create a religious ethos in schools so as to stimulate spiritual growth and foster values like respect. Empower communities by giving them greater responsibilities, such as fulfilling the role of watchdog. Remove the hinderances to economic growth in order to support a healthy, growing middle class.
“Taking these steps is like investing in an insurance policy for the future. Without it, we are treading on dangerous ground and South Africa may very well turn into hell on earth. Unfortunately, many women and children in South Africa already find themselves in such circumstances,” says adv Alberts.
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