Gender-Based Violence
Gender-based violence is a pattern of harmful acts directed at individuals based on their gender, encompassing physical, sexual, psychological and economic abuse. The term covers domestic violence, sexual assault, femicide, human trafficking, forced marriage and other forms of violence disproportionately affecting women and girls, though men and boys can also be victims. Gender-based violence is recognised as both a human rights violation and a public-health crisis, with significant social and economic costs including healthcare expenditure, lost productivity and intergenerational trauma. In South Africa, gender-based violence occurs at epidemic levels, prompting national policy responses including the National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide and dedicated funding for prevention and victim support services. The phenomenon is driven by structural inequalities, patriarchal norms, poverty, unemployment and substance abuse, with prevalence particularly high in communities experiencing socioeconomic stress. Responses involve law enforcement, judicial reform, healthcare services, shelters and community education programmes, coordinated across government departments, civil society organisations and international agencies. Research institutions such as the Human Sciences Research Council and the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) track prevalence, risk factors and intervention effectiveness. Gender-based violence remains a priority for policymakers across sub-Saharan Africa, where it undermines development goals, workforce participation and public health outcomes. Addressing the issue requires sustained investment in prevention, survivor support, perpetrator accountability and broader gender-equality initiatives.
Gender-Based Violence Updates
What are we leaving behind? The law, our heritage, and the South Africa we owe our children
23rd September 2026 When we speak about heritage, we often think about what we have inherited. Our languages, cultures, traditions, music, cuisine, and stories all... →
Ekurhuleni needs State Security, not trees, from Minister Ntshavheni
22nd September 2026 The Minister in the Presidency responsible for State Security, Khumbudzo Ntshavheni, is in Ekurhuleni today, and it is a missed opportunity to... →
Lt Gen Shadrack Sibiya’s arrest highlights the absurdity of South Africa’s gender-based violence crisis
22nd September 2026 The arrest of a senior police officer on such serious allegations is deeply troubling, particularly in a country that has spent decades confronting... →
Fikile Mbalula to also face the music for falsely accusing Bergview principal of rape
22nd September 2026 ANC secretary general Fikile Mbalula will join EFF leader Julius Malema in facing criminal prosecution for falsely accusing an innocent school... →
Lesufi government’s broken shelter system failing women fleeing GBV
22nd September 2026 The bodies of nine women who have recently been found dead in Ekurhuleni have once again revealed the devastating reality of gender-based violence... →
Mandela Foundation wants voters to demand action on GBVF ahead of elections 
By: Thabi Shomolekae 22nd September 2026 As South Africa approaches the upcoming local government elections, citizens are being urged to leverage their vote as a tool for “profound social... →
ANCWL on the alleged aggressive threats to a group of women in a restaurant by a Zimbabwean businessman
21st September 2026 The ANC Women’s League is outraged by widely circulated video footage showing a Zimbabwean national and self-proclaimed businessman allegedly... →
Threats against women have no place in South Africa – The law must take its course
21st September 2026 ActionSA condemns in the strongest terms the disturbing conduct captured in a video circulating on social media, in which a man is seen confronting... →
Let’s work together to make Gauteng safe
18th September 2026 The Gauteng Provincial Government would do well to step away from political defensiveness and recognise that collaboration is what this moment... →
Policing is political, DA says as it offers collaboration in East Rand murders investigation
By: Creamer Media Reporter 18th September 2026 The DA said on Friday that it is willing to work with anybody who “genuinely” wants to take action in delivering justice to the families of the... →
