Posted in News on May 19, 2002.
According to research done by the Department of Justice, gender violence affects one in four women in South Africa (450.311 Domestic Violence: Submission to the South African Law Commission in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1, May 1997).
"In South Africa we have become almost hardened to crime statistics," says Stella Helwick, marketing manager at Acer.
"In this context, many people are numbed to figures such as the fact that one woman is killed every six days by her intimate partner, one out of three women are beaten regularly by their partners and 1.5 million women are battered per year. Yet these statistics have a very human face."
Along with its sponsorship partners, Acer is dedicating the use of its Women's Day event as a platform to speak out against the abuse of women and raise funds to assist with providing a proper support structure for these victims of abuse.
"We also want to honour those women who have survived an ordeal of this nature and share their strength with the rest of the country," Helwick explains.
Based on this, the theme for the black tie gala dinner is "Women of courage and strength". The line-up for the evening will include a jazz session, story telling, a fashion show, singers, dancers and acrobats.
"The proceeds raised will be donated to the development of a safe house for abused women and children, to be selected in conjunction with Kaizer Chiefs, POWA (People Opposed To Women Abuse), BWA (Business Women's Association) and several other NGOs," she says.
"It is critical that the local community becomes more aware of these crimes and stands together and assists in finding ways and methods of reducing the amount of abuse sustained by these victims. With women as the very basis of our society, violent acts against women are crimes against society."
Local companies interested in purchasing tables at this event can contact event co-ordinator, Edith Venter, on tel:(011) 783 5887, or e-mail: edithpromo@mweb.co.za.
