To mark Human Trafficking Awareness Week, an NPO based in Cape Town is embarking on a #TalkingToBoys journey to teach boys between ages of one to six of about non-violent and peaceful behaviour and gender equality. The campaign would run throughout October with a theme of “consent”.
1 000 Women, 1 Voice, who will be leading the #TalkingToBoys campaign said raising responsible and respectable young men was now more important than ever. One of the volunteer’s at the organisation, Eunice Stoltz said in order to end gender-based violence, there was a need to start having healthy and important conversations with the boys in society.
“Some believe talking about relationships, consent or women should start when children are teenagers, but in fact, these are topics that should be discussed from a young age already. At a young age, the term consent may sound complex, but then the terms ‘no’ or ‘yes’ are not, and should be explained to boys in order to protect them, and those he interacts with,” said Stoltz
The 1 000 Women Trust founder Tina Thiart said South Africa continued to be a source, transit and destination country for victims of trafficking. She said criminal traffickers were increasingly morphing into organised crime syndicates and used deceptive means to abduct and traffic adults and children.
“We are looking forward to engaging with boys and men in our latest conversation which its objective is to reframe the discussion with men and together as families to address gender-based violence in the country.1 000 Women, 1 Voice is committed to ending gender-based violence and femicide in our society by empowering, inspiring, educating, and equipping women and girls. However, to tackle GBV it is mandatory to work with men as well, and from a young age,” concluded Thiart.
Stoltz adds that
