People Against Abuse (PAA) PAA will be doing renovations at Phomolong Crèche and they want to paint the walls and get some foam mattresses because the children sleep on the floor. PAA also want to buy the kids toys and are looking for donations and sponsorships to help with the project.
PAA is a 24-hour crisis centre for the victims of sexual assault and domestic abuse in Winterveldt and its surrounding areas. They assist in making and opening cases, accompanying of clients to hospital for medical examination, support groups for children, teenagers and women and home visits, the above mentioned is just a few of the many services they offer.
It is situated in Loate Police Station in Winterveldt. The organization was founded by Tumelong Mission in 1998, It is run by social worker, Mrs Hilda Mkhwanazi and a board of directors. It is operated by four volunteers, four social worker interns from University of South Africa, (UNISA) three communications interns and Mrs Mkhwanazi.
They provide trauma counselling and victim empowerment, by hosting support groups every Saturday. They help victims with how to deal with their trauma and to show the victims there are people who went through the same thing as them.
A victim of sexual assault that did not want to be identified said that the P.A.A counselling sessions helped her to realise she wasn’t alone and that there were people who were concerned about her life.
They work mainly with women and children and there is a minimal number of males because of the stigma against men abuse. Men often feel they cannot report cases of abuse.
PAA works with multiple organisations like, Provincial Victim Empowerment Programmes, Department of Social Development, Child Protection Unit, SAPS, Department of Health and South African Network of Trauma Service Providers amongst other organizations.
Sponsors and donors can email peopleagainstabuse@gmail.com or tweet them @againstabuse_SA.