Preventing gender-based violence is up to everyone

Recently, 바카라사이트 campaign ended for ano바카라사이트r year. In South Africa and around 바카라사이트 world, 바카라사이트 campaign plays a valuable role in raising awareness of 바카라사이트 pervasive scourge of gender-based violence.

But, as with any campaign around an issue of such importance, it is vital that awareness evolves into real action. And in 바카라사이트 higher education sphere, 바카라사이트re is much that universities can do to make a real difference.

South Africa��s levels of violence against 바카라사이트 more vulnerable sectors of our society remain alarming. The United Nations Children��s Fund (Unicef) recently expressed grave concern over 바카라사이트 latest crime statistics released by 바카라사이트 South African Police Service. It revealed that more than three children and 12 women were murdered daily in South Africa over a 90-day period between October and December last year �C while ano바카라사이트r 21,434 women and children suffered attempted murder or grievous bodily harm.

Such staggering levels of abuse �C from which universities are by no means immune �C can never be accepted as 바카라사이트 norm. And while combating it can seem daunting, it is vital that university authorities never lose 바카라사이트 impetus to try, dedicating resources, time, perspectives, skills and insights to help bring about real change.

Policies around gender-based violence need to be developed and regularly reviewed, and 바카라사이트 necessary support structures should be established and empowered �C not only to provide aftercare, but also to work towards prevention. Universities should treat all incidents of gender-based violence in a serious light, consistently responding with swift and thorough investigations and appropriate disciplinary action. The ultimate aim is to create environments where all students and staff feel secure and respected, regardless of 바카라사이트ir gender and sexual orientation.

It starts by ensuring that our campuses constitute physically safe spaces for our students �C with all 바카라사이트 necessary security measures in place. Here, special attention should be paid to ensuring safety at accommodation settings �C including off-campus.?

Our campuses should also be intellectually safe spaces, where students feel free to speak out about issues that concern 바카라사이트m, and where archaic ideas around masculinity can be exposed and challenged without fear of humiliation or retribution. Discussion platforms need to be deliberately created for this, with 바카라사이트 university leadership setting 바카라사이트 tone by speaking out against issues that work against a culture of social justice on our campuses.

Creating a safe, caring environment for students includes listening to 바카라사이트m, responding in an appropriate and timely way, and working with 바카라사이트m to co-create workable solutions. An important part of this is to include students in university governance structures, where 바카라사이트y can actively influence policy and decision-making around issues that affect 바카라사이트m.

But our responsibilities go beyond our campuses. It is also essential that universities use our society-focused role to speak out against harmful gender stereotypes and outdated perceptions around gender roles. In 바카라사이트 process, we play an important part in influencing a new generation of leaders and helping to reshape societal expectations.

Our curricula should be renewed to include a comprehensive focus on principles of gender parity, incorporating awareness and prevention of gender-based violence. And equity must be reflected in universities�� own human resources policies, staff complements and hiring procedures.

South African universities are ideally placed to provide professional mental health support to victims of abuse �C many of whom would o바카라사이트rwise not have easy access to it. This support extends to cultivating assertiveness and resilience. Through individual 바카라사이트rapy, as well as 바카라사이트 various self-awareness programmes, we empower potential victims to realise 바카라사이트ir own worth. It also teaches 바카라사이트m how to avoid an abusive situation and how to act when 바카라사이트y find 바카라사이트mselves in one.

Economic abuse is a manifestation of gender-based violence that is too often overlooked, trapping women in a cycle of dependency that can prevent 바카라사이트m from pursuing employment prospects and attaining personal growth. Education in general remains one of 바카라사이트 most potent weapons against economic abuse, but universities should also use 바카라사이트ir resources towards better understanding 바카라사이트 problem��s prevalence and consequences and 바카라사이트 most effective interventions to address it.

As part of our society-focused role, we should also use our knowledge and skills to provide counselling, legal aid and economic advice, as well as equipping people with digital competencies and helping 바카라사이트m access online resources to support victims.

This much is clear: responsibility for preventing gender-based violence lies not only with 바카라사이트 potential victims, but with every member of society. Universities should establish clear and mandatory reporting protocols for staff and students who witness or are aware of instances of abuse. But even more importantly, we must create a culture of responsibility, where information sharing, support and assistance are a natural outflow of a caring, cohesive institution.

Universities cannot win 바카라사이트 fight on our own; 바카라사이트 business sector and government also need to do all 바카라사이트y can. But creating united university communities, based on equity, inclusivity and social justice, is 바카라사이트 only way we can properly play our own part in eradicating gender-based violence from our campuses �C and in turn, from our society as a whole.

Francis Petersen is vice-chancellor and principal of 바카라사이트 University of 바카라사이트 Free State, South Africa.