The Men’s Dialogue panel which included senior police leaders, religious leaders, academics and experts in the fields of health and psychology have denounced an adage that is associated with men, which says tigers don’t cry labelling it as a thing of the past, during its deliberations on Wednesday 18 January 2023.
The Dialogue which was attended by Western Cape police commissioner, Lt Gen Tembisile Patekile and his entourage in the policing precinct of Cape Winelands District was held in Worcester at Zwelethemba High School.
Exclusively attended by men only, the panel advised men to bare it all on what they were going through and walk away on being perpetrators of GBV.
One of the panellist Dr Bill Skinner a respected psychologist said it was all in the mind-set and stereotypes that leads to one’s action, but if all men can live and practice mutual respect, we can have a better society.
“What is important to men is to stop bottling up their feelings and have to share their frustrations, anger, predicaments and summon up their energy and do away with low self-esteem.”
As issues of sexual and mental challenges dominated the discussions with some men spewing out unprintable words or statements, Pastor Smith said men were allowed to cry out and pray to god for strength and wisdom.
Other speakers from the floor have complained about an uncaring and bad attitude of police stations, when a man went to report a complaint as a victim of GBV.
Speaking anonymously, he said he has been a victim of abuse at home for several years, but his reports to the police were ignored though, he was insulted and sometimes beaten and called names inside his home.
Cape Winelands District Commissioner Maj Gen Marius Groenewald has confirmed that the cases of men becoming victims of GBV in the hands of women needs to be attended with seriousness and all the dignity they deserve without any discrimination.