After a year of careful planning, learning, listening and conversing, Embrace, the Movement for Mothers, has launched a series of short films in partnership with Makhulu Media that exposes the pervasiveness of obstetric violence in South Africa.
Coinciding with the internationally recognised 16 Days of Activism period, Embrace, a social movement for mothers, teamed up with filmmakers and impact agency Makhulu Media to expose the extent of obstetric violence in our country. Through research and interviews, Push Comes to Shove, shows that obstetric violence is a common yet preventable barrier to accessing quality and dignified healthcare.
I struggled with postnatal depression and I still struggle with the trauma I experienced. It haunts me. I felt like I was in a nightmare that just wouldn’t end, straight from a horror movie. I kept asking myself if this was a dream, this couldn’t possibly have happened to me.
I have decided to share my story and join the movement of advocacy for obstetric violence and birth trauma because I need to know that there is action and advocacy for a better experience the next time around. For my next baby and for other women from all walks of life.
So, in the run up to #MandelaDay, we are using this platform and our voices as the women, mothers, daughters, sisters of victims and survivors of #genderbasedviolence to call for collective action against such violence. #GBV is a social problem and it will never stop until there are social solutions. So we’re going to be sharing ways in which you can help spot and stop GBV in your own community and resources with which which you can support survivors of GBV.