16 Days Going the Distance

"Blowing the whistle against Women and Child Abuse", 1400 patrons of the annual 1st for Women Jacaranda 94.2 Sisters with Blisters stopped traffic alongside William Nicol outside Montecasino.

Saturday 24 November marks a day which the 1400 patrons of the 1st for Women Jacaranda 94.2 Sisters with Blisters patrons will never forget, and the grey clouds couldn’t even damper the spirit of these walkers, when they each took to the streets around Montecasino for a 4.5km high-heel walk in support of victims of women and child abuse. 

Armed with their voices and whistles, every ‘Sister’ literally ‘Blew the whistle’ on violence and abuse against the nations innocent victims, calling on South Africans to start loving, caring and respecting one another 365 days of the year.

"Awareness around the 16 Days of Activism already exists, but what are South Africans doing to show perpetrators of crime that this violence is never acceptable and will never be tolerated?" asked Alan Khan, CEO of Jacaranda 94.2, South Africa’s largest independent radio station. 

Commuters were not irritated or concerned at all, mostly blowing their hooters in support of the initiative that supports 16 Days of Activism against Women and Child Abuse.

"As a radio station we asked the same thing, and so Sisters with Blisters was borne out of a need to provide the nation with a public platform to voice their opinion in the form of a protest walk."

This event, now running for its second year, was evidently needed as the number of participants more than doubled from 2006. A difference from last year is that messaging came out very strong from participants of the initiative. 

Some of the Sisters were starry-eyed, but still wore their blisters with smiles and pride, all in aid of charity.

 
Many wore T-shirts including messages such as: ‘Real men don’t hit’, ‘I’m lucky, my daddy loves me and my mommy’, ‘Don’t abuse me I am a woman’, ‘You are special, don’t be a victim’, ‘Don’t touch my Sistas’.

Registration for the Sisters with Blisters participant was R100 per person or R90 for group bookings of 10, which raised an amazing R150 000 for the Leigh Matthews Trust, and more donations have been pouring in since.

The trust was founded by parents Sharon and Rob Matthews as well as daughter Karen Matthews after the tragic murder of daughter Leigh Matthews. The trust provides an outreach stress and trauma centre for abused victims who cannot afford counseling.

"Respect for oneself starts at home. Jacaranda 94.2 and 1st for Women encourage all South Africans to teach this to themselves and their children, because once you respect yourself you love; care and respect others around you. 

Girls and guys all united in one colourful campaign to show their support of victims of violence against women and children.

 
Sisters with Blisters may be an annual event but encourages the nation to look after our women, children and men 365 days of the year. One abuse victim is one too many, one raped victim is one too many. Let the violence stop today," concludes Khan.

Various lucky draw prizes were up for grabs and included a trip for two to Hollywood, Los Angeles with return airfare, luxury accommodation, a shopping spree on the famous Rodeo Drive and a visit to the set of Desperate Housewives. The prize was won by 36 year-old Madeleine Evans of Springs in the Eastrand.

Celebrities also came out in full swing and included Rosie Motene, Thuli Sithole (Miss SA 2005), Natalie Chapman, Morné Morkel, Paul Harris, Teresa Fischer, Sarahann and Danielle Dooley.