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According to an Interpol study, it is estimated that a rape occurs every 17 seconds in South Africa*.
To inform university, college and high school learners that there is help available to rape victims, the Jes Foord Foundation will be running its ‘17 Seconds Campaign’ in September.
The foundation, named after its founder, was established after her own brutal gang rape as a means of empowering rape victims.
Michelle Smith, through the Vodacom Change the World initiative, who is not only volunteering her counselling services to the Foundation for a year but is also heading up its new campaign, shares, “Although rape occurs frequently, most people don’t know how to deal with it in the correct way.
The ‘17 Seconds Campaign’ will provide learners with the facts so that they are aware of the realities. It will also inform them about how and where to receive the help they need, such as obtaining preventative ARVs or getting counselling. In addition, we will be educating them on how to react to a friend who has been raped.”
The campaign will be run in a way that appeals to the youth, with age appropriate materials that is funky and creative. Through using edutainment, it is hoped that the learners will listen to the underlying message. “Education is essential if we want to improve the system as a whole and provide victims with the help they need,” says Smith.
Smith says that because we as South Africans, hear about rape so often, we have become desensitised to it. However, the time she has spent working at the foundation has really opened her eyes to the suffering of rape victims.
“The fact that I counsel so many people on a daily basis shows just how often rape is occurring. It is sad to see that the majority of perpetrators are not caught while the victims remain angry and their lives are negatively affected. This has motivated me to do more for the cause. I have seen how much counselling helps to teach victims to stop blaming themselves and find healing. It is through healing that they become survivors. This is not an easy journey and more help needs to be available,” Smith says.
For more information click here.
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To inform university, college and high school learners that there is help available to rape victims, the Jes Foord Foundation will be running its ‘17 Seconds Campaign’ in September.
The foundation, named after its founder, was established after her own brutal gang rape as a means of empowering rape victims.
Michelle Smith, through the Vodacom Change the World initiative, who is not only volunteering her counselling services to the Foundation for a year but is also heading up its new campaign, shares, “Although rape occurs frequently, most people don’t know how to deal with it in the correct way.
The ‘17 Seconds Campaign’ will provide learners with the facts so that they are aware of the realities. It will also inform them about how and where to receive the help they need, such as obtaining preventative ARVs or getting counselling. In addition, we will be educating them on how to react to a friend who has been raped.”
The campaign will be run in a way that appeals to the youth, with age appropriate materials that is funky and creative. Through using edutainment, it is hoped that the learners will listen to the underlying message. “Education is essential if we want to improve the system as a whole and provide victims with the help they need,” says Smith.
Smith says that because we as South Africans, hear about rape so often, we have become desensitised to it. However, the time she has spent working at the foundation has really opened her eyes to the suffering of rape victims.
“The fact that I counsel so many people on a daily basis shows just how often rape is occurring. It is sad to see that the majority of perpetrators are not caught while the victims remain angry and their lives are negatively affected. This has motivated me to do more for the cause. I have seen how much counselling helps to teach victims to stop blaming themselves and find healing. It is through healing that they become survivors. This is not an easy journey and more help needs to be available,” Smith says.
For more information click here.
Follow Women24 and and like us on Facebook.
