As a Champion of Lawyers against Abuse, I am proud to be associated with this organisation and its seminal work in pursuing justice for victims and survivors of gender-based violence. The staff of LvA work every day with, and on behalf of, those who suffer the scourge of gender-based violence and they do so with fortitude, professionalism and success.

Gender-based violence in South Africa is an epidemic. Yet in this current situation, many women are not able to afford legal representation in their fight for justice and so the bulk of these cases are swept under the carpet and the moral fibre of the community continues to weaken. I believe that the work LvA does for these women is imperative if we ever want to see real change happen. With a model to create change on a systemic level, we as Norton Rose Fulbright fully support their work.

We all need to challenge the social norms that lead to gender-based violence. We also need to strengthen the criminal justice system to deal more appropriately with gender-based violence. We are proud to support the work of LvA which gives victims the opportunity to defend their rights and to ensure that perpetrators are held accountable for their actions.  Our firm’s association with LvA enables us to make a contribution to something we all care deeply about.

Gender-based violence continues to be one of the most notable human rights violations in our society. It is our responsibility to do all we can to stand up for the fundamental human rights of the victims, and to challenge unequal gender power relations as a root cause of gender-based violence. The LvA initiative is one we fully support as it not only gives victims a voice, but it also facilitates change by educating and empowering the community to stand up against violence.

Werksmans has, for many years, recognized the scourge of gender-based violence in South Arica and has, without hesitation, contributed and supported Lawyers against Abuse and will continue to do so. Werksmans remains unwavering in its commitment to the promotion of the constitutional imperative of access to justice in addressing this critical imperative. Werksmans is committed to remaining Lawyers against Abuse’s partner in Diepsloot, continuing training workshops with this organization and has, throughout the firm, trained all professionals on the Domestic Violence Act which has enabled us to develop our expertise in this sphere.

Gender-based violence is anathema to Bowmans as a firm and to all its people. Our vision for Bowmans is based on a fundamental belief in non-racialism, multi-culturalism, and the embracing and leveraging of diversity in all its forms. It is also built on optimism about the continent of Africa and what we as the people of Africa, across our offices and countries, can do to better the continent and ourselves. Gender-based violence strikes at the heart of what we want to achieve. It affects us as a firm and the vision we are trying to build and fulfil. Each of us as individuals and as a firm will do our bit to defeat this scourge in our society. We will celebrate non-racialism and multi-culturalism and stand up against all violence, especially violence against women and children and those who are different from us.

The work that Lawyers against Abuse (LvA) does to provide holistic legal and psychosocial support to victims of gender-based violence is critical in helping to end the cycle of abuse. We have long been supportive of the wonderful work done by this organisation and we are currently exploring ways to offer further ongoing support to LvA via the 100 for 10 campaign, where, for a contribution of R100 per month, lawyers can contribute to the provision of legal and psychosocial services to 10 clients a day. We cannot sit on the side-lines and let gender-based violence go on!  We must urgently work together to create physical and psychological safety for women and children. In addition to the support we provide to LvA, we have also launched the #HeforShe movement within our offices to encourage men to become actively involved in gender initiatives. The initiative makes it clear that we all have a role in ensuring we create a gender equal world, not just in the workplace, but in every aspect of our lives.

In the midst of the most horrific and persistent gender-based violence (and femicide) permeating South Africa, #AmInext is about the real and present danger being felt by our women (from all walks of life) who fear for their mortal being just going about their ordinary daily lives.
As a man, a husband, a father and a brother, I fully support the widespread call from civil society for men to –

• speak out against gender-based violence
• actively play a role in transforming our own and other men’s attitudes towards women based on their sex, sexual orientation, gender identity and sexual identity
• to stop utilising narratives such as; “boys will be boys”, “women are too sensitive”, “women can’t take a joke”.

We, men, either do this or, if we are not direct perpetrators, we witness other men doing it or showing an inclination for it or, we know women who are the victims of it and yet we say nothing, much less, do anything about it. We men need to stand up and man up, in the appropriate sense of that expression!!  We need to do that now!!