14

May 2013 theTeacher

Inspiration

Highlands North Boys High Schools class of 2013 lead the change. Photo: Delwyn Verasamy

Young men rising above rape

Grade 12s commit to changing
perceptions about young men through
their campaign
Thapelo Moloabi

ountries globally are

dealing with the challenge of increased incidents of rape and sexual
violation against women
and young girls. South Africa is no
different.
In fact, our country has acquired
a reputation for being the capital of
rape and violence against women,
along with India.
Recent statistics by People
Opposing Women Abuse (Powa)
show that in South Africa a woman
is raped every 17 seconds and according to the Medical Research Council
(MRC), one in four men have admitted to rape.
As a young man living in this country, I pose these questions for an
answer: how long should women live
in fear? How long should we as men,
all of whom have women in our lives
(whether this be our grandmother,
mother, sister, niece, lover or female
neighbours) fear for their lives?

Grade 12s as leaders

I am proud to be at Highlands North
Boys High School as a grade 12
learner because we, young men in
the class of 2013, would all like to do
well academically but more importantly, we are committed to contributing to womens safety by taking
responsibility as the citizens and
future leaders of this country.
We have initiated a Rise Above
Rape campaign, which kicked off
just after Anene Booysen from
Bredasdorp in the Western Cape was
raped, assaulted and left to die. From
this experience, as well as many others, we have come to learn that perpetrators and victims come from
our neighbourhoods, families and
communities.

We have chosen to collectively

join with anti-rape activists around
the world in standing up and being
counted amongst those who speak
up for the rights of everyone.
We believe charity begins at home.
At Highlands North, a school for
boys only, we first encourage young
men to Rise Above Rape at our
school, and then spread the campaign to other schools. They are joining the movement in big numbers.

How it all started

At our school, we were fortunate to be
visited by Professor Khalil Osiris, an
expert in personal behaviour change
and restorative practices. He runs
a programme in our school called
the COC Mentoring Programme
and Positive Behavioural and
Interventions System, which deal with
decreasing disciplinary challenges in
schools.
Our class of 2013 has already benefitted from his lectures and he has
only been at our school for about
three months. His programme
teaches learners how to think, and
this has helped us focus on our studies and to help those lagging behind
to catch up.
While we all want to pass matric,
we believe we also have a responsibility towards South Africa to create
a better future for our country. We
can do both. The programme also
encourages community involvement
and projects that make a difference
in the world. We have chosen to
rise above the scourge of rape and
violence against women and young
girls.

What steps were taken to

get this campaign started?
Our schools matriculants began the
campaign during a positive behavioural training with Professor Osiris,

whose COC Mentoring Programme

and Positive Behavioural and
Interventions System is in our
school.
It is through his mentorship that
this campaign came to be;
The learners started to brainstorm
a name for the campaign as well as
the objectives and an action plan;
Designers in our midst got creative and came up with concepts for
t-shirts that carry a message against
rape;
Learners worked on creating posters; and
All learners who are willing to rise
above rape signed a commitment
and took a pledge to support the
campaign to the very end.
We aim to grow the campaign, led
by young men, beyond South Africas
borders. We believe that women
deserve better.
We have to be party to creating
a generation of men who are pro
human rights. We must make a mark
as responsible young men, turn the
tables and create a generation that
invests in its future.
Learners at Highlands North
Boys High School acknowledge that
their history with the media has
not always been good, especially
across the past two years. We as
Highlanders are on a path to become
positive role models.
There is one particular component
that will ensure that this campaign
keeps moving: our values. We have
Highlander values. However, you do
not have to be at Highlands North
Boys High School to be a Highlander.
You only have to share and practice
the values.

What Highlanders value

A woman behind every strong
man is a strong woman. Its true!
Hard work hard work pays off
Health love yourself. You cannot
help others if you cannot help yourself first.
Education this is the key to success. It is not a myth.

Religion we believe that with God

nothing is impossible.
We have learnt that in the past,
women fought for equality. Now it is
time for real men to rise. It is time for
change.
As young men, we can kill this
barbaric and disgusting act called
rape. It all begins with you and me.
Think about all the strong women
out there without a voice.
Let us voice the words they keep
inside, hidden behind loving smiles.
This initiative is dedicated to

The pledge
A Highlands North Boys
High School initiative
I, a proud South African young
man, pledge to support the
RISE ABOVE RAPE campaign by
respecting all women and girls.
In honour of those who have
died and suffered abuse, I will
promote and protect the rights
of women and girls in my home,
school and community.

those who have died and suffered

abuse.
We will promote and protect the
rights of women and girls in our
homes, schools and community.
To sign the pledge, please join
this movement and check us on our
Facebook page @riseaboverape and
on Twitter @riseaboverape

Thapelo Moloabi is a Grade 12 learner

at Highlands North Boys High School
and a budding writer

COC mentoring
programme
For more information about the
COC Mentoring Programme,
check out cocmentoring.org and
mlkdayalliancesa.co.za

Help for survivors

Rape helpline 08000 55 555
Childline 08000 55 555
Stop Gender Abuse 0800 150 150
People Opposing Women Abuse
(Powa) 083 765 1235

Maths quiz solutions

Working out the remainder, an amount left over after dividing numbers
Question one
Yes, Lerato and Bongani could be thinking of the same number
One is a possible answer. The other possible answers are one more than a
common multiple of four and seven, for example, 28 + 1 = 29 or 56 + 1 = 57.
Question two
Let the number be N ...
if it leaves a remainder of four when divided by five, then if we add one to it, it will be divisible by five.
if it leaves a remainder of three when divided by four, then if we add one to it, it will be divisible by four.
if it leaves a remainder of two when divided by three, then if we add one to it, it will be divisible by three.
if it leaves a remainder of one when divided by two, then if we add one to it, it will be divisible by two.
If we add one more to the number, then it will be divisible by five, four, three and two.
N + 1 is divisible by five, four, three and two.
Therefore one possibility for N + 1 is 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 = 120, which means that N would be 119.
Graphic: JOHN McCANN Quiz source: NRICH