SYO to launch it's organisation on Womens' Day

The Stopthespot Youth Organisation will host its first annual event with the theme of “StOpThEsPoT of ABUSE” at the University of Venda on 9 August.

The aim of the initiative is to raise awareness of the negative impact that violence and abuse have on women and children. The organisation also aims to fight the ongoing abuse against women and children in society. 

The organisation was established by Avhasei Raphalalani from Tshipako Muramba, who is a victim of sexual, physical and emotional abuse. Raphalalani was molested by her step-brothers when she was still young. The 23-year-old Raphalalani was forced to enter into a relationship after she failed her virginity test in the presence of her parents at New Generation Girls Academy.

“I started dating for the wrong reasons, because I was not a virgin anymore, and got pregnant after three months. My parents forced me into an early marriage and left me at my boyfriend’s home,” said Raphalalani.

Raphalalani said her boyfriend was an abusive partner who hit her every time he got a chance. She added that she had established this organisation to help women in abusive relationships speak out. “I stayed in an abusive relationship for too long by being afraid of being rejected by my friends and those who were close to me. I want to help the women in the same circumstance as mine to speak out, regardless of how this will affect us,” added Raphalalani.

Raphalalani encouraged the youth not to use their family background as an excuse to get into an early marriage or a life of crime. She said that early marriage is not a solution, but rather adding a problem to existing problems. She said that the purpose of the event was to teach and impart knowledge on how to be free from abuse. “A baby requires a lot of responsibility and a grant alone can’t sustain the child,” concluded Raphalalani.

Date:14 July 2018

By: Tracy Ngobeni

Tracy Ngobeni is a 20-year-old intern who is doing her final year in journalism at Tsh­wane University of Technology. She was born and bred in Olifantshoek. She started her journalism career in 2017, after submitting her articles to the Record Noweto Newspaper in Pretoria. Her heart beats for print media because she believes that writing can heal reader's souls.

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