While there has been a rise in technology-facilitated gender-based violence and femicide, deputy president Paul Mashatile says the same tech can be a tool to combat this scourge.
Mashatile was speaking yesterday at the national launch of this year’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign, in Rustenberg, in the North West.
Held annually from 25 November to 10 December, the United Nations campaign focuses on raising awareness of the devastating impact gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) has on women and children, and the social fabric.
This year’s theme is: “30 years of advancing collective action to end violence against women and children”.
According to Mashatile, technology-based tools and social media have introduced new avenues for perpetrators to harm and abuse women and children. For example, digital spaces have become breeding grounds for violence, from cyber bullying and online harassment, to the dangers posed by social media platforms.
However, the deputy president noted citizens can harness the same technology as a tool for change, protection and empowerment.
He urged further collaboration to use technology and innovation to combat GBVF and accelerate a gender-inclusive digital economy.
“Let us not forget that technology can be a force for good. It has the potential to save lives, connect victims and survivors to support, and hold perpetrators accountable in ways that were previously unimaginable.
“From using mobile apps that provide immediate support to victims and survivors, to artificial intelligence that can help us understand and curb the pandemic, the potential is vast. Mobile apps, including helplines and emergency response systems, provide a direct link to safety, offering quick access to shelters, medical care and legal assistance.
“In South Africa, initiatives such as the GBV Command Centre − a 24/7 digital and telephonic support service − have proven instrumental in helping victims and survivors. We must leverage these advancements to enhance our prevention strategies, improve our response mechanisms and ensure no one is left behind.”
The Commission for Gender Equality has described GBVF in SA as one of the worst scourges facing the country’s democracy, adding that despite the National Strategic Plan adopted in 2020 to address GBVF, the number of reported cases continues to rise.
According to Statistics SA, one in three women aged 16 and older has experienced physical violence, while one in five has been sexually abused.
Meanwhile, the Human Science and Research Council’s 2022 national GBV survey revealed that over 33% of South African women have experienced physical violence in their lifetime, while 9.8% have faced sexual violence. It also showed that approximately 7.3 million women have experienced physical abuse, while 2.1 million have experienced sexual violations.
Mashatile stated government is committed to taking the findings of the surveys seriously and would integrate them into its work.
The findings will feed directly into the National Strategic Plan on GBVF, which provides the roadmap for government's national response, he noted.
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