18 February 2016

Breaking the Cycle of Violence in the Cape Flats

Submitted by: Kisha Reader

Community Action for a Safer Environment (CASE) Launches Powerful Campaign

Community Action for a Safer Environment (CASE) with Saatchi & Saatchi South Africa have launched a powerfully emotive television commercial aimed at getting people to take action against breaking the cycle of violence for children living in the Cape Flats.Started in 2001, CASE is a charity organisation, which counsels people affected by violence and empowers them to play a part in healing their communities, and assists children being raised in violent environments from becoming violent adults. It is run by volunteers of all ages from the community of Hanover Park and has become an effective catalyst for transformation in the area.According to crime statistics, every month about 100 people are shot dead in the Western Cape with 18% being gang-related and over the past decade murder rates have more than doubled in the area of the Cape Flats.

Hanover Park is especially rife with violent crimes. By some estimates, more than 40% of men report having being physically violent towards a partner, and about 50% of women report having being victims of domestic violence.  “For the children of the Cape flats area, violence is a daily reality and with this commercial we are hoping to break the cycle and not let it shape their future,” says Creative Director at Saatchi & Saatchi, Mimi Cooper. “Many South Africans have ‘charity fatigue’ and many don’t even realise what a big issue gang and domestic violence is so we needed to develop a TVC that would raise awareness of the organisation and also get people to donate through a highly powerful message.”“We essentially needed to put the viewer in the shoes of those affected, the children,” she explains.

“Most people are concerned with their children watching violence on TV, but for people in the Cape Flats, violence is real.”The commercial features a little boy watching TV, you hear violent sounds which you assume are coming from the TV but then it is revealed that the TV is actually off and the sounds are coming from within the house where this vulnerable child is sitting. It ends with a powerful message, Break the Cycle of Violence and donate.View the commercial here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3bqcFDEMWF0 Although community leaders describe the figures as ‘horrific’ and blame the crimes on violent youth running amok with guns and inadequate policing, there are many organisations similar to CASE who are actively trying to make a difference within the community.

“We need help to keep up the good work of those people living in the Cape Flats area to shape the innocent children’s lives into something more positive,” says Lane Benjamin, founder of CASE. “We know we cant stop the crimes but we do want to protect our future leaders and children from letting it shape their future.”“MEC Dan Plato once said, the area needs targeted, sustained and specialised interventions and with the support of South Africans that is exactly what we will continue to do for our youth in the area,” concludes Benjamin.

To donate to the cause: SMS ‘CASE’ to 40186 to donate R20.

For more information go to http://www.case.za.org or join the conversation on Twitter @CASEtweeter #breakviolenceAbout Hanover Park− 61% of adults do not have an income− Only 11.4% of adults have an income of more than R1600− More than 80% of adults have not completed high school− 20% of adults have not completed primary school− In Hanover Park, murder and attempted murder cases rarely result in convictions, estimates vary but at least 75% of murders in Hanover Park and the surrounding areas go unpunished.

Campaign Credits: Chief Creative Officer: Jonathan BeggsCreative Director: Tyrone Beck, Mimi Cooper, Yvonne HallCopywriter: Mimi CooperArt Director: Yvonne Hall, Harriet StockwellAgency Producer: Chantel KrielClient Service: Kim van der LindenDirector: Lee Doig (Let it Rain)Producer: Sam Kelly (Let it Rain)Post Production: Jason Matthews, Fran Vervelken, Grant Aerts (Priest)Sound design: Arnold Vermaak (We Love Jam) Music: Paul Hepker

About CASE
CASE was started in 2001 by Lane Benjamin, a Clinical Psychologist, who identified a need for trauma intervention due to a rising level of prevalent violence and a definite decline in relational values.  The organization is run by volunteers of all ages drawn from the community of Hanover Park and has become an effective catalyst for transformation with the main aim of breaking the cycle of crime and violence by equipping community members to re-organise and respond appropriately to both the causes.