Artist raises awareness against gender-based violence in video

She released her latest single, I am the Fire, on Wednesday
September 16 with a petition to
change the law so that bail is
not granted to those accused of
committing crimes of gender violence, offenders are not granted
parole and those serving “life
sentences” never see the outside
of a prison. 

She has chosen the Safe House
and SA Women Fight Back as
beneficiaries of funds raised by
the campaign. 

“For years, I have had a yearning in my soul to create something
bigger than my own dreams,” she
said. 

“I have wanted to use my talent, music and various platforms
to make a true difference, and
that difference now comes in the
form of this song.” 

She hopes the I am the Fire
music video will inspire people
to join the fight against gender-based violence. 

“It is one of the most moving
and empowering pieces I have
had the honour of working on,”
she said. 

Bronwyn Litkie, head of SA
Women Fight Back, said the system was failing women. 

“Only 8% of gender-based
violence cases make it to court
and end in prosecution, while
the victims and their families go
through immense trauma, heartache and pain while pressing
charges, and they pray that justice
will be served,” she said. 

A so-called “life sentence” was
25 years, and some perpetrators
only ended up serving 10 years
before being paroled, she said. 

“Rapists and murderers should
not be granted the luxury of
freedom after taking someone
else’s, and we have to ask ourselves, is 10 years a life sentence?
How is this justice? What kind of
message does this send to other
offenders?” 

Kathy Cronje, the Safe House
founder, said it would continue
to break the silence on abuse
and provide abused women and
children with a safe place to heal,
rebuild and reconnect.
For more information, click here or watch the video on YouTube.