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Join us for a virtual panel discussion on strengthening responses to boys affected by sexual violence for Blue Umbrella Day 2022! This panel discussion will bring panelists to respond to the recommendations from our research report Caring for Boys for civil society organisations. These were:
- Specifically recognise the differing vulnerabilities and trauma responses of boys and girls to sexual violence, address gendered social norms which contribute to these vulnerabilities and have specific safeguarding policies and procedures in place for boys and girls.
- Provide community education on the different sexual acts that constitute sexual violence, as per the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 5 of 2015, including both contact and non-contact sexual acts; how boys and girls may be vulnerable to and affected by these crimes in different ways; and the reporting obligations and responsibilities of community members and families outlined in South African legislation.
- Deepen understanding amongst families and communities of the long-term physical, emotional and psychosocial impacts of sexual violence on both boys who are victims as well as those who are actors and the role families can play in their healing. Recognise the differing parenting needs of boys and girls, encourage the caregiving involvement of fathers (not just their financial provision), promote responsive parenting and the elimination of harsh discipline.
Panelists
Nonhle Ntetha is a qualified Social Worker with a Bachelor of Social Work and a Certificate in Project Management. She has gained 10 years’ work experience in the field of Social Work with Childline South Africa. Currently, she is a Senior Social Worker responsible for managing Global Fund programmes. In her years of experience, she has grown from practising as a Social Worker providing clinical counselling to vulnerable children and victims of gender based violence, to being a Programme Manager for programmes including services for victims of sexual violence and gender based violence. In this role, she provides therapeutic counselling to boys who presented inappropriate sexual behaviour, coordinates child protection programmes for victims of sexual violence (boys & girl) and facilitates accredited CPD training to diverse professionals within the child protection system for capacity building. Her passion and interest is interacting with diverse individuals and working with children.
Linda Smallbones is a social worker and play therapy practitioner in the Midlands area of KwaZulu-Natal. She has been a social worker for 22 years, working in diverse fields such as community work, therapeutic work and child protection work. This has led to her passion of working with people's emotional health, especially as it pertains to healthy relationships and parenting. She has a special interests in attachment and trauma and how they impact on the parenting role and relationships. She has a play therapy practice in Howick and a key focus of her work is on strengthening relationships between the children she sees and their parents. Play and joy are key components of her work that she loves to cultivate as they grow relationships and help to protect resilience and flourishing. She has an 11 year old and a 12 year old and a husband who she gets to learn and grow with.
Wessel van den Berg is the father of two young children and works as the Research, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning Unit Manager at Sonke Gender Justice. Key projects that he has contributed to include the MenCare Global Fatherhood Campaign, the State of South Africa’s Fathers report series, advocacy for the prohibition of corporal punishment in all settings, and the promotion of gender equal parental leave. He has worked as a kindergarten teacher, counsellor, researcher and activist. He holds a BPhil and MPhil in Sustainable Development, and a PhD in Sociology, at Stellenbosch University. His doctoral study was about the engagement of South African men in a feminist ethic of care.
Shaheda Omar has been with The Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children since 2000. During this time, she has developed the professional standard of services offered by the clinic. She is well known and respected in the field of child abuse. Shaheda has driven the Diversion Programme for young sex offenders since its inception and continues to take the programme from strength to strength. She completed her PHD and graduated in June 2011. Her work in this level of study adds to the literature and greater understanding of child abuse in South Africa, and the Diversion programme in particular. We now have one of the most progressive Diversion programmes in the continent. Shaheda is also the author of a Diversion Handbook, ‘Children who sexually abuse other children’. A second edition has been finalised. Shaheda’s vast spectrum of experience and knowledge are regularly called upon when she is asked to mark thesis submissions for tertiary institutions and complete peer reviews of manuscripts.
Moderator
Suzanne Clulow has a Masters in International Relations from St. Andrew’s University in Scotland. For the past 20 years, she has lived in South Africa where she has gained experience in programme design and implementation, organisational and capacity development, research and M&E within the NGO sector. More recently, she has developed a particular interest in advocacy and policy development within the children’s sector and is actively involved in a number of national and international networks in this regard. She currently manages the Child Rights Advocacy Programme at the Children in Distress Network (CINDI) where she is involved in research, advocacy and capacity support to local CSOs working with children.
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