The global 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, running from 25 November to 10 December, aims at intensifying the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls. The South African government states the campaign forms part of a so-called emergency response to the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country.
Despite calls to end GBV, as well as sexual violence, the crime continues unabated in South Africa and globally. Reports revealed that in South Africa between October and December 2021, females were in the majority of the 11 315 people raped. This means over 11 000 rape cases were reported within three months.
According to the Rape Survivors’ Justice Campaign about 7,7% of sexual offences, of approximately 645 580 cases per year in South Africa, are reported. In addition, an average of 2 763 women are killed – translating to about seven women per day. The country’s femicide rate places it among the top five countries globally.
The theme for this year’s campaign is “Unite! Activism to end violence against women and girls”. It resonates with the United Nations secretary-general’s Unite by 2030 to End Violence against Women campaign (Unite Campaign).
It calls for global actions to increase awareness, galvanise advocacy efforts, and share knowledge and innovations. While legal frameworks, effective justice systems and government responses are necessary, it is also vital that ideologies create the conditions which curb GBV.
In South Africa several organisations, including People Opposing Women Abuse (POWA), the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust and the Tears Foundation, work tirelessly to provide support and advocacy to survivors of GBV. Evidence of this is the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust reports that indicate between March 2021 and March 2022 9 650 survivors and their supporters received direct services. This support was provided across helplines, in-person counselling, court support, social work sessions, community workshops and the three Thuthuzela Care Centres in which they work.
Such support and advocacy work are vital in helping survivors access post-violence medical and mental health support, file police reports, access courts, as well as receive support throughout legal proceedings. Furthermore, such organisations provide education that helps to address toxic gender ideologies and debunk myths around rape and sexual violence.
However, we should not solely rely on organisations to do this work. We all need to be aware of our own actions, words and the ways in which they might contribute to a culture in which violence against women and girls (VAWG) is acceptable. Speak out against the behaviour and actions harming women and girls; assist organisations providing support and advocacy in whatever way possible; and hold the government accountable for developing and implementing plans and procedures for addressing VAWG.
It is also time that we take to the streets – as we are seeing in Iran – to demand better conditions for women, girls, and other marginalised communities in South Africa.
) Dr Claire Stephanie Westman is a postdoctoral researcher at the Free State Centre for Human Rights at the University of the Free State (UFS).
