How you can help
CHALLENGE THE ATTITUDES YOU SEE AROUND YOU THAT MAKE IT POSSIBLE FOR VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN TO CONTINUE.
Help us maintain the high standard of work that we are currently able to do by:
becoming a volunteer, through joining one of our training courses;
believing a person close to you if they tell you they have been raped, harassed, molested or abused and support them in any way you can;
Join “The Friends of Rape Crisis Cape Town”. Send an email to zandile@rapecrisis.org.za for more information.
If you do not want to be part of the problem, become part of the solution.
We have been asked by many men what they can do to take on the issue of rape in South Africa, and thus not be one of the complacent ones. Here are some ideas:
DONATIONS AND FUNDING
If you would like to make a donation please deposit in the following account:
Name of Account: Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust
Bank: Standard Bank
Branch: Mowbray
Branch Code: 02-49-09-06
Account number: 07 127 9865
Please send your contact details to margie@rapecrisis.org.za.
If you would like a copy of our fundraising proposal please e-mail our
Director, Chantel Cooper at chantel@rapecrisis.org.za.
SERVICES NEEDED
Painting of counselling rooms and offices
Handyman - occasional
Plumber - occasional
Electrician - occasional
Printing services: for booklets for survivors, police stations and health facilities
Should you wish to offer your services we would like to include your name and photos of before and after the work you do. Please contact margie@rapecrisis.org.za.
GOODS NEEDED
Paint and varnish
Photocopier
Fax machine
Computers and computer upgrades
Digital Camera (fundraising purposes)
Motor vehicle
Wendy house for office in Khayelitsha
Office equipment for wendy house
Please contact margie@rapecrisis.org.za
RESOURCES FOR SALE
You & Rape booklet - R20 each, plus post
Sexual Assault Survivors Guide - R20 each, plus post
WITHIN YOUR COMMUNITY
Find out if your local police station has staff trained to deal with rape cases, and a comfort room. If not, encourage them to develop victim-friendly facilities as well as a core of well-informed, sensitive and supportive staff.
Support women’s initiatives to draw attention to issues of violence against women - march or sign petitions as appropriate for you.
Ensure that your community is safe for women:
- Check that all street lamps have bulbs in them.
- Ensure that transport terminuses are well-lit and easily accessible
- Encourage local councils to provide security in parks, and to mow the grass in open fields and near transport terminuses
- If you hear a woman screaming, go and investigate or call the police
If you witness a rape, make a statement to the police and be willing to testify in Court.
Write to your local MP and ask what is being done to prevent rape in your community.
PERSONALLY
Challenge myths about rape: women no more deserve to be raped for wearing short skirts or hitch-hiking than cell-phone users deserve to be mugged or BMW drivers deserve to be hijacked.
When you hear sexist jokes which demean and objectify women, confront them and do not allow them in your hearing.
Contact the South African Law Commission about the Discussion Paper on rape and make comments.
Raise your sons with the role model of a man who can feel and cry, and who is not afraid to take on issues of violence against women and examine the societal and socialisation pressures which contribute to our appallingly high statistics.
Confront and complain about sexist advertising such as the current ads for a man’s deodorant (Ego), a women’s deodorant (Impulse), a motor car (Jetta) etc.
FINANCIAL AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT
Organisations dealing with these issues have not managed to raise significant funding from corporates and businesses in South Africa. The purse strings in such organisations are invariably controlled by men. If you control those purse strings, free some of your social responsibility money up for doing this work. If you don’t, lobby those that do to do so.
If you have skills or access to resources, make that known to organisations dealing with violence against women issues, and offer what you can.
Donate time or money to a local organisation dealing with the issue.
RELIGION AND RAPE
For those with strong religious beliefs, here are some suggestions:
Enter into dialogue with religious leaders about the ways in which organised religion, which is essentially patriarchal, can within the Church address these issues and raise awareness about the causes and consequences of rape.
Confront religious attitudes which discourage women from leaving abusive relationships, and instead find ways to support choices which involve doing this.
Confront religious teachings which perpetrate narrow and defined roles for men and women, and in which women are defined as subservient to men.
Set up support groups for women who have been the victim of sexual assault.
Set up groups for men where the issues can be debated and where non-violent relationships, and ways of achieving these can be explored.
