Mercy Haven celebrates Women’s Month
Attendees wore black outfits with colourful doeks as a sign of respect and the power that women possess.
Mercy Haven, a shelter for abused women and their children, hosted an empowering Women’s Month celebration on August 29.
Various speakers from different organisations were called to speak on topics such as domestic abuse and trauma, God and women in relationships, HIV/Aids, why women should be empowered, how abuse affects children and gender-based violence in marriages.
Speaking at the event Mbalenhle Msibi from POWA praised women for their strength and dedication.
“Women are strong individuals who thrive in any given environment or situation,” she said.
Father Peter Wilson, said: “Women should be honoured every day and the fact that the month of August is put aside to honour women shows that they are of value. We appreciate what they do as their struggles are not going unnoticed.
“Despite the hardships they endure, women still love and care for their children. I wish I could apologise for all the wrongdoings of men.”
Suzan Mkwanazi from Famsa said parents should tell their girl children that they love them so that they won’t be confused or lured away when a male person says those words to them.
“Mothers should stop selling their children to men in exchange for money or food. Your child should come first in your relationships with boyfriends or husbands.
“Women also shouldn’t allow men to treat them as punching bags. Women should do away with the mentality that if their husbands or boyfriends hit them it means that they love them. Women should be smart to be able to walk out from abusive relationships because they aren’t healthy for them and their children,” Mkwanazi said.
Tambo Memorial Hospital social worker Glenrose Lebese said women who are in abusive relationships tend to say that it’s the first time their husbands or boyfriends are hitting them and they find ways to make the problem small or justifiable.
“Normally victims look at their situation at home, calculate that the perpetrator is the breadwinner and then they keep quiet.
“We need to note that more women are now diagnosed with depression or mental illness and mostly they are due to psycho social stress. Women should be able to realise the toxic situation they are in and get out.”
Lebese advised women to reclaim their power and strength as women and be independent.
“HIV/Aids is a challenge to women because women are mostly the ones who go and test, but it becomes confusing because they are the ones who engage in unprotected sex, but they don’t know their partner’s status.
“If you are a married woman and you know that your partner is cheating on you, you must think about your health first. Don’t beat around the bush. Just tell your partner that you don’t trust him and you’ll use protection up until your issues are resolved,” Lebese said.
Mercy Haven operates under the auspices of the St Dominic’s Parish Church. They provide basic needs such as nutrition, primary healthcare, clothing, education and development assistance, and where possible, reunite them with their families.
