South African honoured with highest French “National Order of Merit” in recognition of over 20 years of work addressing gender-based violence in SA!
Pretoria, South Africa – The founder and chair of “Lawyers Against Abuse” has been appointed a “Knight of the National Order of Merit” by France in recognition of over 20 years of work addressing gender-based violence in South Africa. In particular, the appointment recognised Prof. Bonita Meyersfeld’s role in conceptualising and establishing Lawyers Against Abuse.
This honour is awarded by the President of the French Republic to French citizens and foreign nationals for distinguished achievements such as “acts of devotion, bravery, generosity, real merit or a measurable commitment to serving others”.
The award was bestowed upon Prof. Meyersfeld by the Ambassador of France to South Africa, H.E. Christophe Farnaud, at the French Residence in Pretoria on the 19 March 2019, in front of Prof. Meyersfeld’s family, friends, and colleagues.
According to Prof. Meyersfeld, “the Chevalier is a testimony to the thousands of heroes who survive gender-based violence; to the powerful women who founded Lawyers Against Abuse and to the women in our Centre who work every day to make the non-profit the sanctuary and place of justice it is today.”
The idea for Lawyers against Abuse began long before the organisation opened its doors.
In 2000, while in training as a lawyer at a commercial law firm Meyersfeld started volunteering for an organisation that provided support to victims of gender-based violence. In this role, she fielded calls from women who had been victims of abuse and offered them legal advice. Each woman spoke of how she felt trapped, scared and in some instances, had been failed by the justice system that was meant to protect her. In those moments, Meyersfeld felt helpless as she could do no more than explain that what was happening to them was wrong – both in life and in law. Upon hearing this, most of the clients would hesitate on the phone and then murmur: “Really?”
Their shock learning that abuse was both wrong and illegal confirmed what lawyers, psychologists and activists in the field of gender-based violence have known for decades: the problem is not a case-by-case issue.
The problem is systemic.
While the perpetrators of this abuse are guilty, so too is the system that legitimises and normalises violence against women and girls in the sanctity and safety of their homes, workplaces and schools. This realisation laid the foundation for what would ultimately become Lawyers Against Abuse, a community-based centre where gender-based violence victims receive integrated legal and psychosocial support from trained professionals who have a deep understanding of the systemic nature of this problem.
In late 2011, this idea became a reality as Lawyers Against Abuse was formed.
What started as a group of three women quickly expanded to include powerful, professional visionaries dedicated to this cause. Over the next few years, the founding board members worked tirelessly to develop the model, handle individual cases, raise funds and expand networks, giving generously of both their time and talent. In 2014, the non-profit began focusing its work in Diepsloot, an informal settlement north of Johannesburg, rife with gender-based violence.
“Most importantly, our time in Diepsloot has proven that the Lawyers Against Abuse model works. Through committed and consistent engagement within a dedicated area, the idea has built trust with community members, developed a nuanced understanding of the specific gaps and challenges facing this community and established strong partnerships with local service providers and state actors. This has allowed Lawyers Against Abuse to not only provide critical assistance to individual victims of violence but also to address the broader systemic issues that lead to violence in the first place and that allow it to persist.”
By replicating the blueprint developed in Diepsloot, Lawyers Against Abuse hopes to open centres throughout the country in the coming years to ensure that no victim of violence ever has to walk this road alone.
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