South Africa's Gender-Based Violence Command Centre received 6,782 calls for help in just 16 days, averaging 424 calls per day. This number is alarming, as it represents a significant number of individuals reaching out for assistance. On September 16 alone, the centre received 589 calls, its highest daily figure for the period. Calls between September 1 and 16 were 21% higher than the average recorded during the same period in August.
The high number of calls to the GBV Command Centre raises questions about the effectiveness of the system in responding to these calls and preventing further violence. While the centre can provide support and referrals, it is crucial to examine the underlying conditions that contribute to gender-based violence. Research by the University of Johannesburg's Centre for Social Development in Africa suggests that addressing GBV requires a broader conversation that goes beyond policing and criminal justice.
The research examined the stories of 10 men who had previously been incarcerated for rape and femicide, highlighting the social environments and experiences that shaped their understanding of themselves, relationships, and violence. The stories reveal a pattern of absent or rejecting fathers, fractured families, childhood deprivation, poverty, and exposure to death and violence. These factors do not excuse rape or femicide but contribute to an environment where violence can become normalised.
The study's findings emphasize that people do not grow up in isolation, and neither does violence. When poverty, family disruption, untreated trauma, substance abuse, and violent communities interact, it can create an environment that fosters harmful behaviours. This is why GBVF is also a social development issue, requiring a comprehensive approach that addresses the root causes of violence.
The GBV Command Centre's data should not simply become numbers in a media statement; instead, it should inform prevention programmes, identify communities that need more intensive social support, and help government understand patterns of violence. The department of social development must work with other government departments to provide a coordinated response to GBV, rather than treating it as a collection of separate responsibilities.
Effective response and prevention measures require a collaborative effort from government departments, community-based organisations, and social services. The research from Alexandra township challenges the idea that rape and femicide can be understood simply by looking at the individual perpetrator, instead highlighting the interconnected systems around people that contribute to violence.
The question remains what happens to the information gathered from the GBV Command Centre's calls once the phone is put down. Does it feed into prevention programmes, inform trauma services, and help identify communities that need more support? A comprehensive approach to addressing GBV requires a coordinated response that addresses the root causes of violence and provides support to those affected.
Key points
- The GBV Command Centre received 6,782 calls in 16 days, averaging 424 calls per day.
- Research suggests that addressing GBV requires a broader conversation that goes beyond policing and criminal justice.
- Effective response and prevention measures require a collaborative effort from government departments, community-based organisations, and social services.
