Concert in Support of GBV and Sexual Abuse Victims

Concert in Support of GBV and Sexual Abuse Victims

UKZN’s Medical School campus HIV and AIDS Support Unit hosted the Darkness and Light concert in collaboration with Friends of Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) and the Voice Arts Club, sponsored by MSF Southern Africa and the UKZN’s Human Resources Division.

‘We began planning the concert in June,’ said Ms Oarabile Mamashela, a third-year Medical student who worked with Ms Yolokazi Malangeni, to organise the concert held at the Medical School’s Exam Hall on the evening that marches against gender-based violence (GBV) and sexual assault were held on the Howard College and Nelson R. Mandela School of Medicine campuses.

‘GBV is a pandemic that plagues us all,’ said Mamashela. ‘As peer educators, we encounter students who have experienced some form of abuse or sexual assault, however many of them are not comfortable speaking out because of feelings of shame, hopelessness and despair. We wanted to help create an environment where students don’t feel ashamed because of the things that have happened to them but rather feel empowered and know they aren’t alone.’

Auditions for the concert were held in August and rehearsals began with Mr Mbuso Nxumalo, a Music teacher at UKZN’s Howard College campus, and 10 performers who had been selected. ‘We rehearsed for nearly eight weeks in preparation for the event.

‘Using music as a medium, we wanted to send a message to our colleagues that they are not alone, whether they are survivors of GBV or know anyone that is, they aren’t alone,’ she said.

‘Performers sang about darkness depicting the feelings and thoughts of those suffering from GBV and there were songs of light to show how difficult the path of healing is. They also sang about survival and renewal, and finding healing in others who have experienced similar assaults.

‘The message we want to send out is that there is darkness in our everyday tragedies; however, there is also light, which comes from our friendships, our counsellors and fellow survivors,’ said Mamashela.

‘A lot of our Medical students experience GBV, from their partners, strangers or sometimes even roommates at res. Unfortunately, many students feel that this only happens to them, and because of that they don’t speak out when they experience sexual assault or abuse. They sit in silence and are scared to reach out for help.’

‘We hope through the concert our colleagues have been able to learn a lot, and have found in one another community and healing. There is no better healing than through music. We would like to thank all the relevant UKZN departments that helped to make this concert a reality,’ she said.

Words: Lunga Innocent Memela

Photographs: Supplied