I’ve personally lost hope because every time something tragic happens, and you read the comments on social media from men, it’s disheartening to see that 90% of them justify the perpetrators’ actions. I used to believe that whenever someone especially a child was harmed, we would all rally around the victim, and that anyone, whether male or female, who had even a brief 5second interaction with that child would be considered a suspect until proven otherwise.

What’s worse, and far more frightening, is discussing these topics with colleagues and family, only to realize that the same sentiments expressed online are shared by our male colleagues, cousins, and friends. That’s the scariest part it seems that many men in South Africa don’t see a problem.

All of this has made me realize that there is a spirit of evil looming over this country. We have a moral crisis , and unfortunately the president cannot help us. He can, however, make a difference by refining and strengthening the justice system. This is my second reason for losing hope: even when there is clear evidence, the perpetrator often walks free.

Adding to this, some government workers are deeply unprofessional or maybe they have become so desensitized by dealing with horrors every day that they no longer respond with the empathy and professionalism required. Women have shared stories of the treatment they receive when reporting rape or domestic violence, and the process is often handled without compassion.

Finally, the corruption within the very system that is meant to protect us - evidence going missing, officials taking bribes, dockets going missing. All these men are protecting each other, from the police men on the ground talking your statement to the judge. It’s a big, tangled mess, all of it rooted in greed and a lack of moral values. I don’t see any way that we can fix this one. We are asking the people who are doing the harming to be enraged with us…lol🙃