Fight against GBV should start at grassroots level

THE men folk in South Africa should hang their heads in shame at the statistics that we see on gender-based violence in our country as they  go up and up! Where have we gone so wrong as a nation?

We have traditional initiation schools…what do they actually teach the young men going into adulthood?  Nothing if the stats have anything to say. We have had all sorts of movements and ads but nothing changes. 

Do we remember the Charlize Theron advertisement where she said “where are all the real men out there”?  We never found them!

We now have the Purple movement being bandied around and it calls for “ justice, unity and change”.  One of the things it says is that one must lie down at noon for a minute for each of the 15 women murdered daily in SA.  

I hate to say that’s not going to change men’s mindset at all.

Women for Change's Ranji Reddy, acting Director-General of the Department of Women, Youth and Persons with Disabilities was questioned by the Sunday Times about various things  on GBV and her answers were vague and  frankly none of  them inspired any form of confidence in her.

One of the questions she was asked was: “Would you agree GBV  is a national crisis? Her  answer was:  “It’s a very  politically loaded question you’re asking.  Not sure what she’s talking about.

I’ve said this forever. We can talk until blue in the face and have movements and ads but where we need to be is getting to little boys at grassroot level. In every junior school little boys should be taught how to behave with little  girls.  It is too late to change a man in adulthood.  He is set in his patriarchal ways and won’t change but little boys will learn.  Have classes every day at all our schools. Get all the boys involved and you will soon see a change. 

They aren’t learning anything at home so let’s get them learning at school. Maybe something would rub off on the dads?

Barbie Sandler | Constantia