Gran Kaz stands with the 75 |26 April 2021

The handover of the cheque

Gran Kaz has donated R50,000 to non-governmental organisation ERIS (End Rape in Seychelles) to assist it in its efforts.

ERIS is a recently formed NGO who has set itself the not so easy task of tackling the high incidences of sexual harassment and sexual assault in Seychelles.

Far from being a new threat, sexual assault in Seychelles is a topic that has for too long been taboo and, as such, failed to garner the attention and action it warrants.

ERIS has made it its mission to change this, by smashing the taboo and creating a space for the difficult but necessary conversation to start.

“One of the biggest reasons why sexual assault goes unpunished is because victims are afraid to come forward. It’s a scary thing to do, to tell people about something so painful and that very often feels so shameful. Not knowing what their reactions will be, will they even believe you, will they blame you? We want to create a safe space for people to make the first step to take down their aggressors, by creating a culture of placing the blame solely on the person who is to blame – the offender,” says Anna Dorizzo, chairperson of ERIS.

Through education and open and honest conversation, ERIS believes it can start to pave the way for a more effective system of dealing with sexual assault cases in Seychelles.

“The only way to solve a problem is to first admit that there is a problem,” says Shama Amesbury, PR and communications manager at Gran Kaz.

“Information can more often than not play a huge role in preventing something that could have been avoided. In a society where the topic of sex, let alone sexual assault, is taboo, it is to be expected that cases are swept under the carpet before they even make it to the attention of the authorities. This is why we are so happy to support ERIS in the very brave and very necessary task of starting the conversation,” Ms Amesbury said.

Gran Kaz has to that effect pledged R50,000 to assist ERIS in its programmes going forward. As a newly formed NGO, one of the biggest setbacks to achieving its goals is lack of funding. Ms Amesbury says this is a cause that Gran Kaz feels strongly about, as anyone can be a victim – young and old, male and female.

“I, for one, had parents who spoke openly to me about all aspects of life; the human body, sex, and the dangers that exist in the world, but not everyone has that. Some children aren’t informed or live in environments where any talk of sex is taboo – how can you warn your children of the dangers of sexual assault if you cannot first explain to them what sex is, what is acceptable and what is not, how to know if someone is touching you in a manner that is unacceptable. If you cannot give children ownership of their bodies, how can they ever feel confident to say no, when someone attempts to rob them of same? Only through open and honest conversation can we hope to protect our children from those who would take their innocence. This is evident in the case of the 75. Gran Kaz wants to stand with those 75 in the hope that nothing like that ever happens again,” Ms Amesbury said.

Last year around this time the case of the 75 received a lot of media attention – 75 young women who had been tricked by their aggressors into pornography and sexually assaulted. It was the first time that this topic got such widespread media attention, both formal and informal, and this is probably due to the large scale of the offence. And yet even here – there were many who never came forward, the 75 in reality was closer to 100. And how many more victims are out there, who have never and will never come forward.

“The only way to change this is through education. We need to educate our young on the dangers, but also on the fact that no matter what anyone says, it is never their fault. We need to educate the society at large on how to assist victims when they come forward, how to make them feel at ease to tell their story, get them the correct medical attention and get the authorities involved straight away. And we need to ensure that once they come forward, the correct legal procedures ensue, and that victims do not have to face their assaulter on a daily basis because he is walking free. We thank Gran Kaz for its support in helping us to achieve this,” Ms Dorizzo said.