The Daily Abuse A 360 view on domestic violence and abuse

Femicide. Rape. Sexual assault. Violence in schools and homes. And some of it, all caught on camera. These are some of South Africa’s newsroom staples and yet, even with all this attention, domestic violence and sexual abuse are issues that get lost in the minds of South Africans who have grown numb to the stats.

On the 22nd March, the day after Human Rights Day, women’s empowerment and feminist organisation, People Opposing Women’s Abuse (POWA),launched its first news publication – The Daily Abuse. This newsletter is designed as a broadsheet newspaper that will report on 360 incidents of domestic and sexual violence in South Africa – highlighting the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country.

The Daily Abuse aims to tell the real human stories behind the statistics so often quoted. Instead of focussing solely on statistics, academic reports and numbers, each article tells the stories of victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse; how others have conquered this turbulent cycle; the heart-breaking details of those who got out when it was already too late; and the alarming frequency of physical and sexual assaults across all levels in society.

According to POWA an average of 360 incidences of physical and sexual abuse against women take place in South Africa daily. This means that a woman is physically abused every four minutes. Reporting on the 360 incidences which could have taken place on one day, Human Rights Day 2018, The Daily Abuse seeks to bring this shocking number to life for readers through articles which have been built around real statistics and incidents of violence reported in South Africa. Whilst the names and key facts have been altered, the central message is clear: whilst global awareness and activism campaigns such as 16 Days of Activism and International Women’s Day create platforms to drive conversations and action, we cannot afford to forget the abuse is a daily occurrence which has become pervasive in South African society.

Nhlanhla Mokwena, executive director of POWA says that The Daily Abuse is a reminder that South Africans cannot afford to be complacent or fatigued about the issue of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

“There are people who’ve opted for apathy, indifference and even victim-shaming when hearing about domestic violence and South Africans need to ask: if we as a nation say we are tired of hearing about it, imagine those who are living with it every day.”

“The Daily Abuse is a publication that will bring attention and remind us all that domestic violence and sexual abuse is indeed a crisis that needs us all to be active citizens in curbing its prevalence.

We can no longer be complacent and then shocked into action with one horrific act of abuse that makes headlines. What about the other 359 victims we are leaving behind daily? This publication will remind us of how pervasive gender-based violence is so that we as a country work towards a time where The Daily Abuse will no longer have incidents to report.”

The Daily Abuse is an initiative that will give the South African public:

360 reasons to read and understand the many faces of domestic violence and sexual abuse – beyond the numbers in academic papers and crime reports,
360 proof points on why South Africans should be more outraged on the issues of gender-based violence and sexual abuse, and
360 reminders that we need to stop turning the page on abuse.

The broadsheet will be distributed across Gauteng, and selected areas in KZN and Mpumalanga.

For more information, follow the POWA on:
Facebook: POWA
Twitter: @POWA_ZA
Instagram: @Powa_za
Youtube: Powa South Africa

The POWA Daily Abuse- press release

PRESS RELEASE
The Daily Abuse
A 360 view on domestic violence and abuse

Johannesburg, South Africa: 22 March, 2018 – Femicide. Rape. Sexual assault. Violence in schools and homes. And some of it, all caught on camera. These are some of South Africa’s newsroom staples and yet, even with all this attention, domestic violence and sexual abuse are issues that get lost in the minds of South Africans who have grown numb to the stats.

On the 22nd March, the day after Human Rights Day, women’s empowerment and feminist organisation, People Opposing Women’s Abuse (POWA), will launch its first news publication – The Daily Abuse. This newsletter is designed as a broadsheet newspaper that will report on 360 incidents of domestic and sexual violence in South Africa – highlighting the prevalence of gender-based violence in the country.

The Daily Abuse aims to tell the real human stories behind the statistics so often quoted. Instead of focussing solely on statistics, academic reports and numbers, each article tells the stories of victims of domestic violence and sexual abuse; how others have conquered this turbulent cycle; the heart-breaking details of those who got out when it was already too late; and the alarming frequency of physical and sexual assaults across all levels in society.

According to POWA an average of 360 incidences of physical and sexual abuse against women take place in South Africa daily. This means that a woman is physically abused every four minutes. Reporting on the 360 incidences which could have taken place on one day, Human Rights Day 2018, The Daily Abuse seeks to bring this shocking number to life for readers through articles which have been built around real statistics and incidents of violence reported in South Africa. Whilst the names and key facts have been altered, the central message is clear: whilst global awareness and activism campaigns such as 16 Days of Activism and International Women’s Day create platforms to drive conversations and action, we cannot afford to forget the abuse is a daily occurrence which has become pervasive in South African society.

Nhlanhla Mokwena, executive director of POWA says that The Daily Abuse is a reminder that South Africans cannot afford to be complacent or fatigued about the issue of domestic violence and sexual abuse.

“There are people who’ve opted for apathy, indifference and even victim-shaming when hearing about domestic violence and South Africans need to ask: if we as a nation say we are tired of hearing about it, imagine those who are living with it every day.”

“The Daily Abuse is a publication that will bring attention and remind us all that domestic violence and sexual abuse is indeed a crisis that needs us all to be active citizens in curbing its prevalence.

We can no longer be complacent and then shocked into action with one horrific act of abuse that makes headlines. What about the other 359 victims we are leaving behind daily? This publication will remind us of how pervasive gender-based violence is so that we as a country work towards a time where The Daily Abuse will no longer have incidents to report.”

The Daily Abuse is an initiative that will give the South African public:

• 360 reasons to read and understand the many faces of domestic violence and sexual abuse – beyond the numbers in academic papers and crime reports,
• 360 proof points on why South Africans should be more outraged on the issues of gender-based violence and sexual abuse, and
• 360 reminders that we need to stop turning the page on abuse.

The broadsheet will be distributed across Gauteng, and selected areas in KZN and Mpumalanga.
– Ends –
For more information, follow the POWA on:
Facebook: POWA
Twitter: @POWA_SA
Instagram: @Powa_za
Youtube: Powa South Africa

RIP: Marielle Franco

The world has lost another warrior. When somebody dies, its a sad loss but when a warrior who lived for the rights of many is assassinated for speaking up, we need to raise the alarm. Last week, Marielle Franco, an Afro-Brazilian activist was assassinated in her car.

Marielle Francisco da Silva, known as Marielle Franco was a Brazilian politician, feminist, and human rights activist. She served as a city councillor of the Municipal Chamber of Rio de Janeiro for the Socialism and Liberty Party (PSOL) from January 2017 until her assassination on 14 March 2018.

She had been an outspoken critic of police brutality and extrajudicial killings, as well as the recent federal intervention by Brazilian president Michel Temer in the state of Rio de Janeiro which resulted in the deployment of the army in police operations.

Who was Marielle Franco?

Franco was raised in Maré, a slum in northern Rio de Janeiro, where she also resided for most of her life. Franco identified as part of the LGBT community, and in 2017, she moved to the Rio de Janeiro neighborhood of Tijuca with her partner, Mônica Benício, and her daughter, Luyara Santos.
In 1998, Franco gave birth to her first and only child. In 2000, she began her pre-university studies. Franco raised her daughter without the father’s help and worked as a pre-school teacher making minimum wage.

In 2002, she entered the Pontifical Catholic University of Rio de Janeiro on a scholarship and continued working and raising her daughter as she earned a degree in social sciences. She went on to earn a master’s degree in public administration from the Fluminense Federal University. She wrote her master’s thesis (titled “UPP: The Decline of the Favela in Three Letters”) on the law enforcement program to retake control of the city’s favelas from gangs.

Before running for city council, Franco worked for state representative Marcelo Freixo as a consultant and helped coordinate the Committee for the Defence of Human Rights and Citizenship on the Legislative Assembly of Rio de Janeiro (ALERJ). In her bid for a seat on the Rio de Janeiro city council in the 2016 municipal elections, Franco received 46,500 votes. She received the fifth most votes out of more than 1,500 candidates and was one of 51 people elected.
As a city council member, Franco chaired the Women’s Defence Commission and formed part of a four-person committee that monitored the federal intervention in Rio de Janeiro. Working with the Rio de Janeiro Lesbian Front, Franco presented a bill to create a day of lesbian visibility in Rio de Janeiro in August 2017, but the bill was defeated by a vote of 19-17.

On 14 March 2018, after Marielle Franco attended a women’s empowerment event she and her driver, Anderson Pedro Gomes, were fatally shot by two men in another car who fired nine shots at them in a targeted assassination in downtown Rio de Janeiro. Thousands took to the streets in coordinated protests across Brazil, and both Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch condemned her killing.

May her dear soul rest n peace.

Identifying young talent: HER VERY OWNE STRELLAR!!!

A few weeks ago, I commented on my fiend, Lee-Ann Mayimele’S Facebook picture on how I loved her dress, in fact I had already envisioned myself wearing it. I saw myself in a red version possibly giving a talk or working. A few weeks later, my fired then introduces me to the designer. I expected a well know brand from a Johannesburg boutique, to my surprise she said she is a young and up coming brand. As I have said on a number of occasions, my three passions in life are women, Africa and the arts, I knew I had to collaborate with such an amazing force, AS WITHOUT NOWING IT, I CALLED THIS INTO BEING.

WHO IS BEHIND THE NAME: HER VERY OWNE STRELLAR?
The name of the brand is Her Very Owne Estrellar. She chose that name because she believes that every woman is a star in her own capacity. Estrellar is her name, Portuguese for a star. Her parents are both from Mozambique but she was born and raised in Rustenburg in the North West province. Of course, she platinum royalty, just like me.
Her payoff line is: I don’t sell clothes I sell confidence, because when you look good you feel good. It’s really therapeutic and goes beyond just pieces of fabric put together.

She started label at a time when she was depressed and retail therapy was an escape for her. She couldn’t afford the kind of clothes that she wanted, so she decided to buy a sewing machine and make her own. At that time she was still working in corporate, where she felt that she did not fit in. Every night after work, she would go home and create various pieces of clothing. She had no prior learning or knowledge of dress making so and so took it upon herself to teach herself. She gained insight and the skills from watching copious amounts of different YouTube channels and her secret weapon, her mum. Soon, she began to design outfits that attracted many people and soon she had a order list and been making particular items for various people. That’s why she lives by her payoff line: I don’t sell clothes I sell confidence, because when you look good you feel good. It’s really therapeutic and goes beyond just pieces of fabric put together.

Where does she draw her inspiration form:
She draws inspiration from life itself. The conversations she has with all kinds of people, art, food, love music… life. She makes clothes for the woman that’s not afraid to take risks with her clothing, confident in who she is regardless of shape, size or social standing.

The designs:
Her designs are so versatile because she dresses how she feels.
She stated: ‘Fashion is an emotional experience to me, I always have looks that are bright bold and catchy to the eye then I have your simple but yet stylish looks. I always add that zing to everything I make. It has to communicate or inspire conversation. I don’t like to be limited in my creative process. It is where I can truly be myself without feeling boxed.’

These pieces are detachable so you can mix it up with different outfits.

The business of her passion:
She started an online store with the aim of expanding to the level where she has a franchise of stores around the country and eventually branch into clothing manufacturing. She employs two people thus far and is looking to create more employment opportunities in this year.
Her closing comment was ‘I love making people feel good, it excites me to see how a persons whole demeanour changes just because they look good. I have really enjoyed the transition to becoming and entrepreneur and have learnt so much about myself and humanity as whole.’

Let us support local brands.

You can find her via Instagram and Facebook: herveryownestrellar
Her contact email address is: herveryownestrellar@gmail.com

African Global Excellence through African Artists: Malebo Sephodi.

In my series honouring African artists, today I celebrate the powerhouse, Malebo Sephodi. I often quote phenomenal writers on my social media posts and last week I quoted her and to my surprise she tagged me with another one of her quotes To say that I am overwhelmed is an understatement. In a world where identity, patriarchy and simply being black can have its challenged, it is incredibly refreshing when you come across another individual who also believes in tackling theee issues and is not afraid to use her G-d given talent to transcend these messages.
So who is Malabel Sephosdi?

Taken from her blog: https://about.me/malebogololo

Known as Lioness.
Malebo Sephodi is a South African activist and writer who contributes on different media platforms. She is a 2017 Wits City Institute Mellon Fellow and recipient of the Walter and Albertina Sisulu Prize at Wits University. Her research interests include: Africa’s Economy and Development, Gender, Spatial analysis, Quantitative Research Methods and The Hegemony of Science.
Her debut non-fiction titled Miss Behave published by BlackBird Books (imprint of Jacana Media) was released in May 2017. In her book, Malebo Sephodi tracks her journey as a Black Woman in South African choosing to live life the way she wants to live it, even if it means challenging societal expectations. She addresses issues of Patriarchy, Sexism, Intersectionality, Body positivity, Economic liberation and many more issues rooted in Feminism and Social Constructivism.

She currently runs a safe space for women, to just be, called Lady Leader.
With over 6 years corporate and just over 20 years’ community development experience, Malebo has worked and spoken in various parts of Africa, Europe and the Americas. She has worked with many NGO’s and the private sector tackling numerous socio-economic projects. In her quest to address issues of gender, from 2005 -2013, she founded and worked at a counselling organisation called Soul Ova. Under the flagship of Soul Ova, the project at the Leeuwkop Maximum Correctional Centre was implemented in order to address the issue of violent masculinities in South Africa.
She is also passionate about Education, particularly STEM subjects. Malebo has worked with the Gauteng Department of Education in trying to address the socio-economic issues that lead up to the learning obstacles learners face in their daily lives. She was also part of the organising team for the Forum for Critical Consciousness at the Wits Writing Centre.

She has been interviewed on numerous platform on various issues. Please find reference to an interview regarding:
Decolonisation in the Context of #BlackLove
A friend and I recently mused over love in its broadest sense. Naturally, the conversation navigated towards unpacking the psyche that informs romantic #BlackLove. I might be too simplistic in describing the kind of love we spoke of as ‘romantic’ love. We then explored the different lenses in which we as a society and individuals view this romantic #BlackLove and how we can further imagine it. Background lenses. Societal lenses. Personal Experience lenses. It seems that there exists a particular construction about what #BlackLove represents. This may be the reason why so many people approach relationships with fear. We cannot be in denial about what colonialism and apartheid did to the Black family structure, making family relations extremely complex; which we see the debris flowing right into current day.

It’s important that we understand why we see the things the way we do. What type of stories were we told regarding two bodies in a romantic relationship? What kind of norms were formed in how we behave towards each other in relating in accordance to love? How did these norms construct how we live out our romantic relationships on a daily basis. I want to think about what we can do to begin to deconstruct a toxic narrative about what romantic #BlackLove represents. 

We have to take deliberate actions in unlearning these ills that exist between two bodies. The ills that were constructed by an oppressive system. The ills that keep two bodies imprisoned and choked. Simply because they can’t breathe. 

Please listen to the conversation between Aphelele Somi and Malebo, on her #PowerFM987 #PowerLunch show, as we unpacked this topic.

Please have a listen here:

Let us use Love as a tool to deconstruct the system that was used against us.

If you want to learn more about who she is and who she does:
Her blog: http://malebosays.blogspot.co.za

Copy the link below for #MissBehave review
http://m.huffingtonpost.co.za/nkateko-mabasa/miss-behave-by-malebo-sephodi-a-bright-light-in-a-deep-and-lone_a_22132266/