Cape Flats abuse centre launches anonymous postcard campaign

To explore the rationale behind violence‚ the Saartjie Baartman Centre for Women and Children’s “I Deserve It” campaign tasked 600 Grade 10 learners to motivate the circumstances that would warrant domestic violence.

Using Child Protection Week‚ which takes place from Monday to 31 May‚ the centre launched the anonymous postcard campaign at Sea Point High School‚ Leadership College‚ Gugulethu Comprehensive Secondary School and Norman Henshilwood High School.

The centre‚ in a statement‚ said responses varied‚ from violence‚ no matter the situation‚ being unacceptable‚ to violence being deserved‚ for instance‚ “when dinner wasn’t ready or an expected (but unconfirmed) affair had taken place”.

“We’re not surprised by the findings of the campaign‚ often there is a disconnect between that which people know to be wrong‚ to how their behaviour plays out‚” says Shaheema McLeod‚ the centre’s director.

“Our findings revealed that regardless of the community and the school‚ the learner responses very much depended on the environment in which the child had been raised in.”

This was echoed by the centre’s Zeenat Osman‚ a child counsellor: “Children are not only affected when they themselves are the victims of violence – exposure to violence‚ for example towards the mother‚ can be seriously damaging to their emotional psyche.

“Children who have witnessed domestic violence may experience a variety of emotions ranging from guilt to helplessness‚ which in turn can lead to behavioural problems or social difficulties.

“The postcard campaign was very insightful in this regard‚ it provided an opportunity to explore the ramifications of violence through an anonymous platform.”

This is a selection of some of the learners’ comments from the postcard campaign:

- “(I deserve it) when I am impudent and out of line and get smacked for it.”

- “(I deserve it) when someone sexually harasses me. My mother deserves it when my father hits her.”

- “(I deserve it) when men smack my bum because I am dressed inappropriately.”

- “In Islam the husband can hit his wife only if she disobeys more than thrice. He’s not allowed to hit her in her face.”

- “Women should not be beaten‚ whether they are at fault or not. Everyone makes mistakes. Women do not deserve to be injured for a silly mistake like burning food. Men are just petty sometimes.”

- :A women should not be beaten‚ our constitution and bill of rights says so. Everyone is equal‚ no one is perfect‚ we all make mistakes. Women deserve respect‚ love and care and not to be beaten.”

- “When a women does something wrong for her husband‚ they should talk about it and not fight about it.”

- “No one deserves to be beaten. It is not right.”

The centre is based in Manenberg on the Cape Flats.

-RDM News Wire