Johannesburg - The Gauteng government has intensified its fight against gender-based violence (GBV).
The Community Safety and Social Development departments have partnered to fight what has been described as the “societal evils”. This move comes after Police Minister Bheki Cele listed eight places in the province as the country’s GBV hotspots. These include Dobsonville, Mamelodi East, Tembisa, Diepsloot, Honeydew, Alexandra, Moroka and Orange Farm.
Social Development spokesperson Thamsanqa Kenke said addressing the issue of GBV is not solely the responsibility of one entity.
“It’s important to note that the department is implementing the National Strategic Plan ( NSP) on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide (GBVF).”
The Covid-19 pandemic has, however, forced the department to adopt innovative ways of reaching out to communities.
“Online awareness is taking place to connect and capacitate communities around issues of GBVF. We also use our social media platforms to share information about GBV and related issues,” Kenke said.
He said the department is funding 98 non-profit organisations (NPO) to service victims of GBV.
“We have the psychosocial support, victim-friendly rooms at police stations, shelters for victims, protection care unit and support at seven Thutuzela Care Centres for victims of sexual exploitation for both adults and children.”
The department has partnered with local NPOs in all five regions, while faith-based organisations have also been incorporated into the department’s fight against GBV.
Kenke said the department further seeks to render a holistic service to victims of GBV, considering that the department looks at the under-capacitated with social workers when GBV cases rise.
“Social workers work generically and they don’t specialise. They don’t only provide social work service that focuses on GBVF.”
He said the department has appointed seven additional social workers in Tshwane and Ekurhuleni regions to work with GBVF victims.
Meanwhile, the Community Safety Department has rolled out Green Doors and GBV brigades in the five corridors in the province.
GBV brigades are volunteers who have voluntarily raised their hands saying enough is enough about GBV and femicide, while Green Doors will be used as safe sites situated within 5km of the local police stations.
These will offer victims of GBV services such as emotional containment, trauma debriefing and referral to the nearest police station to open a case.
The department’s spokesperson, Ofentse Morwane, said GBV brigades are front-line workers in their respective wards within their communities.
“They are expected to visit each household to educate and create awareness on the impact of gender-based violence.”
Morwane said the department would further develop and implement empowerment sessions on gender-based violence targeted at all sectors of the society.
“The department has made an undertaking to subject GBV brigades in rigorous training on how to detect and assist those victims who suffer in silence in their local communities.”
Morwane said the department has been visiting the families of victims and survivors of GBV as part of its constitutional mandate to oversee the work of law enforcement.
The Star