Sharon Kouta (Victim Empowerment Programme Coordinator, United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime Western Cape), Kathleen Dey (Director of the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust), Derrick Schroeder (Directorate Social Dialogue & Human Rights, Department of the Premier)
NGO mission on violence, a tiny pulse of hope.
Lessons learned on campaigns to stop violence were revealed in the city last month on 27 May 2009.
The Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust launched the ‘Stop the Bus’ booklet last night at Centre for the Book in Cape Town.
The booklet documents lessons learnt from campaigns to end violence against women in South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Ghana. The Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust is an NGO that advocates for change, creates awareness about rape and sexual violence and offers support to those affected by it.
Kathleen Dey, Director of the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust said:…
… “Rape Crisis annually holds a campaign called Stop the Bus, where we travel to different towns within the Western Cape to create awareness of rape and violence against women. Year by year we have seen this campaign grow. This booklet serves as a recipe for success for not only for other NGO’s that run these kinds of campaigns but also for smaller, informal community groups that want to make a difference.”
Guest speaker, patron, and well-known crime writer, Margie Orford spoke about the importance of the booklet to NGO’s and her experience with Rape Crisis: “This booklet serves as a vital tool to other NGO’s and government departments to assist them to implement awareness campaigns. The Stop the Bus campaign started as a tiny pulse of hope to women across the Western Cape. Rape Crisis is one of those places where you can go to for help.”
Dey added that the booklet is available for R30 and soon will be available on the Rape Crisis website as a download. “We would like to encourage NGO’s, government departments and State services providers to purchase the booklet, which can greatly enhance the organised involvement of community groups during commemorative days such as Women’s Day and 16 Days of Activism. Not only does it document our experience but also campaigns from Zimbabwe and Ghana so it is a recipe that can be followed in any context.”
Sharon Kouta, Victim Empowerment Programme Coordinator for United Nations
Office on Drugs and Crime Western Cape said: “UNODC works in close partnership with the Department of Social Development and other key stakeholders to address the high rates of criminal victimization in the country, particularly with regards to women and children.
“Violence against women and children is rife. Lack of services make this issue a specific human rights problem. UNODC would therefore like to congratulate Rape Crisis on this important initiative.”
