The Minister of Police, Bheki Cele, called on women and children to break the silence against abuse. During his visit to Louis Trichardt two weeks ago, he said that domestic and sexual violence against women and children remained a major cause for concern.
Cele said the solution was to take gender-based violence seriously in homes and communities to make sure everyone understood the problem and held the government accountable. He further encouraged women and children to act and break the silence in order to reduce the unacceptable behaviour towards women and children.
"A number of women are involved in abusive relationships, but they don't speak out. Our SAPS is here to help you to overcome the abusive relationships," he said.
Cele said men who raped and murdered women and children were cowards who were controlled by evil spirits and drugs. "They deserve to be locked up for good. We don't want them to return to the community."
"The most common types of abuse are physical, sexual and emotional (or psychological) abuse," said Cele. Most cases of domestic violence and sexual abuse in South Africa go unreported. "We need to engage traditional leaders as much as we can. There is no 'correct' way for victims to respond to or feel about abuse," Cele said.
"People who are abused also experience confusion, fear, hopelessness, helplessness and shame. Another good way of highlighting issues of child and woman abuse is to speak with the women and children themselves on how they should act against any kind of abuse," Cele said.
"I further urge all victims of abuse to report all incidents to the police," he said. "Even when the abuser is the sole breadwinner in your house, report them to the police because that person might end up killing you and your children, and that's what we hate to see as the police."