Inspired by COVID-19 Response, Southern Africa Bishops Rethink “approach to GB violence”

The Bishops’ call comes in the wake of a spike in GBV and femicide during COVID-19 restrictions, with at least five women reportedly murdered in the month of June alone. According to the police, the suspects in the murders had close relationships with the victims.

Among the victims is 28-year-old Tshegofatso Pule who was eight-months pregnant. Her body was found hanging from a tree in a Johannesburg suburb, days after she went missing. Her death sparked a twitter campaign calling for justice under the hashtag #JusticeForTshego.

“The Southern African Catholic Bishops’ Conference (SACBC) Justice and Peace Commission (JPC), strongly and unreservedly condemns the recent surge of gender based violence and femicide that has once again reared its ugly head nationwide since the country entered alert level 3 of Covid-19 lockdown,” Bishop Victor has said on behalf of the Bishops drawn from South Africa, Botswana and Swaziland

The Bishops are concerned that they “continue to witness shocking incidences of mindless and callous killings of innocent women and girls which amounts to a civil war!”

They express their appreciation for the government’s response to GBV through the introduction of harsher penalties for perpetrators, introduction of sexual offences courts and appointment of a steering committee, which has come up with a National Strategic Plan.

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They however insist, in reference to GBV, that “more can and should be done to deal with this scourge.”

It is the responsibility of the government to eradicate the scourge through legislation, tough police action and hefty court sentences to perpetrators, the Bishops say.

They are also calling on religious institutions “to provide care, to become educated” about GBV and preach a clear message that says: “God says no to the violence inflicted by men on women and children. God created our whole being: Heart, Mind and body.”

“Those bodies that are being assaulted are loved by Christ. These bodies remain precious. God grieves deeply when we inflict Gender Based Violence on anyone,” they say and add, “We believe that recovery from being violent is possible. Change is possible.”

“The Church must hold us accountable for what we do. It must lead perpetrators to get the help they need. We must also work towards the healing of the victims. Our work must be to educate and to prevent Gender Based Violence,” the Bishops say and note, “We as Church have contributed to this scourge through our denial, our silence, our resistance and our lack of preparation. Forgive us.”

In their statement, the Bishops thank Justice and Peace activists and well-wishers in their respective countries who are on the frontline fighting GBV scourge and assisting survivors seek justice.

On Saturday, June 13, President Cyril Ramaphosa condemned violence against women saying, “We note with disgust that at a time when the country is facing the gravest of threats from the pandemic, violent men are taking advantage of the eased restrictions on movement to attack women and children.”

He added, “It is a dark and shameful week for us as a nation. Criminals have descended to even greater depths of cruelty and callousness. It simply cannot continue.” 

In their September 2019 message, the members of SACBC expressed their concerns about increased cases of murders targeting women and termed femicide “a crime against humanity.”