OWN CORRESPONDENT, Cape Town | Sunday
ABOUT 2000 men marched through central Cape Town this weekend to protest the high rate of abuse of women and children in South Africa, estimated to have among the highest rates of rape in the world.
Church bells pealed in support as the men marched to parliament led by Anglican Archbishop Njongonkulu Ndungane and other religious leaders who had hoped 10000 men would gather for the event.
The march on Saturday, under the theme “Men Can Make a Difference,” coincided with the International Day Against Violence Against Women.
“We want to show that men do care. Real men don’t rape, they don’t abuse women,” Ndungane said.
“This is an expression of my personal anger against the abuse of women,” said marcher Rodney Morgan, wearing a T-shirt reading “Castrate a rapist.”
Current holder of the Mr. South Africa title, Nicholas Volsteedt, said alcohol abuse contributed to the abuse of women. “Don’t hang out at the pub and go home to abuse your wives and children, stay at home and spend quality time with them,” he said.
Robin Barnes, a 16-year-old school boy, said: “I know women who have been abused and I am here because I feel very strongly against violence against women.”
The marchers were met at the gates of parliament by as many women who showered them with white petals. “This is to welcome them, to appreciate them,” one woman said.
One of the placards on display said, “Remember Valencia Farmer and others like her,” referring to a 14-year-old schoolgirl who was gang-raped and stabbed more than 50 times in Cape Town last year.
Valencia’s distraught mother Sylvia said that she had attended the march because she did not want other mothers to experience a similar ordeal to hers.
According to police figures, more than 51 000 rapes or attempted rapes were reported in South Africa in 1999, a ratio of 119 per 100000 people.
South Africa’s figure of reported rape is the highest per capita in the world, according to non-government organisation Rape Crisis Cape Town. The number of actual rapes could be twice as high as the reported figure, it says.
It has also been estimated that violence against women features in 20% of relationships in South Africa. – AFP