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More about the Bus Campaign:
Click here for resources, including fact sheets on the Sexual Offences Bill, and the petition.

Stop Violence Against Women Bus Campaign

On 8 March 2006, international women’s day, the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR), in collaboration with a number of non-profit organisations around the country, will launch a campaign which involves hiring a bus to travel around all nine provinces to raise awareness around gender based violence. The main aim of the campaign is to inform women of what their rights are in relation to these crimes and how they can go about accessing these rights.

South Africa reports high levels of violence against women, which, at the very least, deny women their rights to life, safety and security, equality, and freedom of movement and association. Legislation is required that promotes and upholds such rights, with women, their families and friends needing to be made aware of such protective measures. This campaign aims to promote awareness of two pieces of law and their associated policies and protocols which, in one form or another, promote these rights: the Domestic Violence Act (DVA) and the Sexual Offences Bill (SOB). The Sexual Offences Bill was fist mooted in 1998. Eight years later the bill has still not been legislated.

Further, many women’s familiarity with their healthcare rights after rape is limited - particularly in relation to their access to post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent infection with HIV. Research by the CSVR’s Gender Programme has also highlighted men’s use of guns in many gang rapes, as well as to threaten, intimidate and even kill their intimate female partners. It is thus important for communities to be made aware of those provisions within the Domestic Violence Act and Firearms Control Act that allow for the removal of weapons, as well as the declaration of someone as unfit to possess a firearm

The bus will leave from the Constitution Hill in Johannesburg and drive to Cape Town stopping in each province as it moves along. In the various communities that it stops it will run workshops and information sessions for women from the community. Pamphlets will also be distributed with information on different aspects of violence against women including HIV and AIDS.

The project also aims to assist communities to participate actively in calling for improved implementation of existing legislation such as the Domestic Violence Act and to call for the improvement and then enactment of the Sexual Offences Bill. The project plans to take the voice of women and children to Parliament. At Parliament case studies collected along the way will be handed over together with messages from women all over the country to Members of Parliament. The bus will reach Parliament after having travelled for 35 days on 10 April 2006. The petitions, messages and case studies will be handed over to Parliamentarians in Cape Town.

Contact: Lisa Vetten, CSVR (011 403-5650) website feedback and information: Sally-Jean Shackleton, Women'sNet (011 429-0000)