“Old Mutual cares about this critical issue; we can begin to remove the stigma associated with Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and make a real difference to those affected in our communities.”
Johannesburg, South Africa (08 December 2022) – As a nation, we continue to have a crisis of Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (SGBVF) on our hands.
It was reported that between July and September 2022 over 13,000 women were victims of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm. 1,277 women were victims of attempted murder and 989 women were murdered in South Africa during this reporting period.
Old Mutual is committed to taking a stand through the many ongoing initiatives of the Old Mutual Foundation and other programmes within the Group.
Collectively Addressing Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (SGBVF)
The Old Mutual Foundation, in partnership with the Collen Mashawana Foundation (CMF), the Centre for Mental Wellness and Leadership (CMWL) and supported by other strategic partners, launched the Collectively Addressing Sexual Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (SGBVF) Programme in Thohoyandou on the 25th of November 2022.
The day before, a pre-launch 5km Walk and Men’s Dialogue took place. The team marched from the University of Venda to the Civic Thohoyandou Indoor Sports Centre, where the Men’s Dialogue was held. This was a platform for men to discuss the drivers of SGBVF and how to collectively address it.
Police statistics shared during the second Presidential Summit on GBV in November 2022 indicated that Thohoyandou police station recorded the fifth-highest number of reported GBV cases in South Africa, making it a site of national importance in efforts to address SGBVF in our country.
The Old Mutual Foundation recognised for fighting SGBVF
The Old Mutual Foundation has been awarded a Certificate of Recognition for Social Cohesion Intervention Programmes by the Deputy Minister of Sports, Arts and Culture, Ms Nocawe Mafu, for helping to uproot the scourge of SGBVF in Lusikisiki in the Eastern Cape.
This region is often referred to as the ‘rape capital’ of South Africa and for the past six months the Foundation, in partnership with the Centre for Mental Wellness and Leadership, has been working closely with the Lusikisiki SGBVF Combat Team to tackle the issue.
During this important 16-day period, and far beyond, it’s important to remember that by working together to show that Old Mutual cares about this critical issue we can begin to remove the stigma associated with SGBVF and make a real difference to those affected in our communities.
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