Op-Ed: Victim Empowerment is Everyone’s Responsibility in Ending GBVF

Gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) is not merely a “women’s issue” – it is a societal crisis that demands urgent and sustained collective action from every corner of our communities, says Busi Kheswa of the Gauteng Department of Social Development.

As someone working within the Gauteng Department of Social Development, I witness daily the devastating impact of violence on women, children, men, boys, and members of the LGBTIQIA+ community who continue to endure violence, discrimination, and the pervasive fear that accompanies it.

No society can claim meaningful progress while its people remain unsafe in their homes, streets, workplaces, and schools. The fundamental right to live free from violence – to enjoy bodily autonomy, equality, and dignity – cannot remain an aspiration. It must become reality through deliberate, coordinated action.

More Than Sympathy: Building Systems That Work

Creating communities where safety is not a privilege but a guarantee requires more than sympathy. It demands systems, services, and transformed mindsets that work together to prevent harm and respond decisively when violence occurs.

Through my work with the Department of Social Development, I have seen firsthand how victim empowerment services, delivered in partnership with Non-Profit Organisations, ensure that survivors do not suffer in silence.

These lifesaving interventions include Victim Friendly Rooms at police stations where victims can share their stories privately; Medical and Thuthuzela Care Centres operating 24/7 to provide medical care and trauma support; counselling services for survivors and their families; and shelters offering safe accommodation alongside psychosocial support, life skills training, and vocational development.

Equally crucial are our Men’s Organisations that challenge harmful norms and behaviours perpetuating violence, and LGBTIQIA+ Support Services that work to prevent hate crimes and promote inclusion through partnerships with groups like OUT Well-being and Access Chapter 2.

These interventions do more than provide immediate relief – they restore dignity, rebuild confidence, and give victims the tools to reclaim their lives.

Confronting Root Causes

GBVF is deeply entrenched in our cultural, social, and economic structures. Its root causes include persistent gender inequality and power imbalances where traditional norms continue placing men in dominant positions; harmful socialisation that teaches girls to be caregivers while instructing boys to hide vulnerability; the normalisation of violence through repeated exposure; cultural and religious practices that perpetuate child marriage and harmful traditions; economic pressures, particularly when unemployment strips men of their provider role; and substance abuse that heightens aggression while reducing self-control.

To dismantle these drivers, we must confront uncomfortable truths about how we raise children, what values we transmit, and how we address inequality at every level of society.

From Reactive to Proactive

Ending GBVF means shifting from reactive responses to proactive prevention. Government continues implementing awareness campaigns, facilitating community dialogues, and providing education in schools. Universities challenge harmful stereotypes and promote gender equality. But critically, men and boys must become active partners in this transformation, not mere bystanders.

Programmes such as the Gauteng Men’s Federation, Better Men For Tomorrow, Scouts SA, our department’s Men Forum, Men As Safety Promoters, and Sonke Justice System are mobilising communities and fostering environments where men can reflect, practice non-violent behaviours, and embrace equitable forms of masculinity. These initiatives must begin early to build men who demonstrate greater tolerance and respect.

We must also tackle the growing threat of human trafficking, particularly through fake job scams targeting desperate jobseekers. Vigilance and reporting remain key – if an opportunity sounds too good to be true, it probably is.

Taking Action

No act of violence should go unreported. Victims and witnesses can approach the Department of Social Development, local NPOs, or the nearest police station.

For immediate help, contact Lifeline SA at 0800 150 150, the National GBV Command Centre at 0800 428 428, or the Human Trafficking Resource Line at 0800 222 777.

A Society Transformed

Victim empowerment extends beyond providing services – it means building a society where such services become unnecessary because violence has no place among us.

Each of us has a role to play: in how we speak, what we teach our children, how we intervene when we witness harm, and in the values we live by daily.

We can end GBVF. But only if we decide, together, that the cycle stops with us. The time for half-measures and hollow promises has passed.

Our communities deserve nothing less than our complete commitment to creating a South Africa where every person can live with dignity, safety, and hope.

Busi Kheswa is from the Gauteng Department of Social Development and writes in her own capacity.