GBV Violence in South Africa: How to Get Help and Act

GBV violence, or gender-based violence, is any harmful act aimed at a person because of their gender, including physical, sexual, emotional and economic abuse. In South Africa, help is available: call the GBV Command Centre on 0800 428 428 (toll-free) or SAPS on 10111 in an emergency. Speaking up early can save lives.

Please confirm helpline numbers with the relevant service before relying on them, as they can change.

What is GBV violence?

Gender-based violence (GBV) is violence rooted in unequal power between people because of their gender. It most often affects women and girls, but men, boys and members of the LGBTQIA+ community can also be targeted. It happens in homes, taxis, schools, workplaces and public spaces.

In South Africa you will often see the term GBVF, meaning gender-based violence and femicide. Femicide is the killing of a woman because she is a woman. The word reminds us that the most serious outcome of GBV is the loss of a life.

What forms does GBV violence take?

GBV is not only physical. Knowing the different forms helps neighbours, family and friends recognise a problem before it grows.

• Physical abuse: hitting, choking, burning, or any use of force.
• Sexual violence: rape, sexual assault, and any sexual act without consent.
• Emotional or psychological abuse: threats, humiliation, constant insults and intimidation.
• Economic abuse: controlling money, blocking someone from working, or taking their grant or salary.
• Stalking and harassment: following, repeated unwanted calls or messages, and online abuse.
• Harmful practices: forcing a person into a relationship or marriage against their will.

If you are unsure whether what you are experiencing counts as abuse, you can still call a helpline and talk it through. You do not have to have a visible injury to deserve help.

Why does GBV violence matter so much in our townships?

Township communities are rich in neighbourliness, culture and resilience. But many residents describe real barriers to getting help: fear of retaliation, shame, worry about losing a family's income, long distances to a police station or clinic, and the pressure to "keep it in the family".

Those barriers are why community action matters. When a street, a church group, a stokvel or a ward committee refuses to look away, abusers lose the silence they depend on. This is what it means to deal with problems before they become bigger problems.

What should I do if I am in danger right now?

1. Get to safety if you can. Move to a neighbour, relative or public place you trust.
2. Call for help. Dial SAPS on 10111, or the GBV Command Centre on 0800 428 428.
3. Seek medical care. If you have been sexually assaulted, go to a clinic, hospital or Thuthuzela Care Centre as soon as possible. Try not to wash or change clothes before examination, as this may preserve evidence, but your safety comes first.
4. Report the crime. You may open a case at any police station. You are entitled to be treated with dignity.
5. Ask about a protection order. Under the Domestic Violence Act, a magistrate's court can issue a protection order. Court clerks and social workers can guide you.
6. Tell someone you trust. You should not carry this alone.

Who do I contact for GBV help in South Africa?

| Situation | Who to contact |

|---|---|

| Immediate danger | SAPS: 10111 |

| Counselling, referrals, 24-hour support | GBV Command Centre: 0800 428 428 |

| Support and information | Stop Gender Violence helpline: 0800 150 150 |

| Child in danger or abuse | Childline South Africa: 0800 055 555 |

| After a sexual assault | Nearest hospital, clinic or Thuthuzela Care Centre |

| Legal protection | Your local magistrate's court (protection order) |

Many of these services are free to call. If you are a young person, a person with a disability, a migrant or an LGBTQIA+ person and worry you will not be believed, ask the helpline to refer you to a service that understands your situation.

How do I know someone I care about may be experiencing GBV?

Warning signs are not always obvious, but you may notice:

• unexplained injuries, or explanations that do not add up;
• a person who becomes withdrawn, anxious or afraid of a partner's reaction;
• a partner who controls where she goes, who she speaks to, or how she spends money;
• sudden absence from school, work or community activities.

If you see these signs, find a private moment, listen without judging, and say: "I believe you, and it is not your fault." Do not confront the abuser alone, as that can put both of you at risk. Share the helpline numbers and offer to go with her to a clinic or police station.

What has South Africa done about GBV violence, and where does the ANC stand?

The ANC is proud of a long heritage of women's leadership in the struggle for freedom. The 1956 Women's March to the Union Buildings in Pretoria, remembered every year on National Women's Day on 9 August, showed that women's courage and organisation are at the heart of our democracy. The ANC Women's League, founded in 1948, has carried that tradition forward.

Public steps taken under the leadership of President Cyril Ramaphosa, who is also the ANC president, include:

• the 2018 Presidential Summit Against Gender-Based Violence and Femicide;
• the National Strategic Plan on GBVF (2020–2030), which sets out a national response involving government, civil society and communities;
• the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Act of 2024, which establishes a council to coordinate the national response.

Laws alone do not end violence. Real change needs people in every ward to speak up, and services that deliver. That is why the ANC says that safer streets and clinics that work belong together; you can read more in Safer streets. Clinics that deliver.. To learn more about the movement's work, visit the ANC official website on GBV violence and community safety.

How can our community act on GBV violence before it grows?

Prevention starts close to home. Practical steps any township resident can take:

1. Break the silence. Talk openly with children and young people about respect, consent and healthy relationships.
2. Know your local services. Keep the helpline numbers and the nearest clinic, police station and court on your phone and in your household.
3. Support survivors. Accompany them to services, and never blame them for the abuse.
4. Raise it at meetings. Ward committees, community policing forums and ANC branch meetings are places to say which streets are unsafe, where lighting is poor, or which services are failing.
5. Volunteer. Community safety, awareness campaigns and door-to-door support are all part of building stronger neighbourhoods. See How Do I Volunteer for the ANC in My Ward?.

During the annual 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children (25 November to 10 December), many communities hold marches, dialogues and awareness drives. They are a good time to start a conversation, but GBV does not stop on 10 December, and neither should our attention.

What about men and boys in ending GBV?

Ending GBV is everyone's responsibility. Men and boys can challenge sexist jokes, refuse to excuse violence as "discipline" or "culture", intervene safely, and model respect at home. Men who are struggling with anger or have been abused themselves can also reach out to the helplines above. Real strength is protecting others, not controlling them.

Join the ANC or find your branch to help end GBV violence

The ANC wants to hear from citizens, especially those living in our townships, before small problems turn into big ones. If GBV violence is affecting your street, your school or your ward, your branch is a place to raise it and work on solutions together.

• Find where to meet and organise: ANC Branch Near Me: Find Your Branch by Province & Ward.
• Ready to be part of the movement? Read ANC Membership Registration Online: Step-by-Step Guide.
• Explore the ANC official website for news, programmes and contact information.

Together, we can grow better communities and build a better South Africa, one safe street and one brave voice at a time. For any information about elections, please check the IEC at www.elections.org.za.

Related

• ANC Branch Near Me: Find Your Branch by Province & Ward
• ANC Membership Registration Online: Step-by-Step Guide
• Ungayijoyina kanjani i-ANC? Izinyathelo ezilula
• ANC lebhu le bhranch kufuphi nami: Indlela yokulithola
• Umsebenzi wakho wokuqala uqala lapha edolobheni
• Safer streets. Clinics that deliver.
• Building better communities together

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