The National Department of Health (NDoH) must assess its readiness to respond not only to physical illnesses but also to mental health challenges and cases of GBV reported
The persistent stigma surrounding GBVF in our country undermines the magnitude and impact of this issue in our society. GBVF cases continue to rise, with femicide reports every other day, as highlighted in the news and social media. Shockingly, violence and injuries are now the second leading cause of death and disablement in South Africa.
This contradicts the perception that diseases like HIV/AIDS, TB, or COVID-19 claim the most lives. With high levels of sexual assault and the rate of intimate partner femicide six times the global average, South Africa has earned the unfortunate reputation of being one of the most unsafe places for women in the world. According to Statistics SA, by the end of 2020, one in five (20.5%) ever-partnered women had experienced physical violence from a partner, and 6.2% of these women had experienced sexual violence.
However, these reported numbers should be approached with caution, as they likely represent only a fraction of the actual cases due to underreporting. Reporting barriers include limited reporting facilities, fear of stigma, lack of confidence in the justice system, fear of re-victimisation by perpetrators, and a community quick to blame victims and deny the existence of a larger problem. Consequently, many women remain trapped in abusive relationships, and sadly, for some, the only way out is death.
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June 2023 | Collective Action Magazine
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