When I was first asked to share my story of gender-based violence, I could not find the words. Fear took over. Fear of what might happen if my attacker ever saw this or heard me speak. Compiling this has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. I…
My Story
When I was first asked to share my story of gender-based violence, I could not find the words. Fear took over. Fear of what might happen if my attacker ever saw this or heard me speak. Compiling this has been one of the hardest things I have ever done. I…
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Understanding Gender-Based Violence in the Digital Age in South Africa
Gender-based violence, often referred to as GBV, is no longer confined to physical spaces. In South Africa, where internet access and social media use continue to grow rapidly, GBV has expanded into digital environments, affecting victims across all ages, backgrounds, and income groups. Online GBV includes harassment, threats, stalking, image-based…
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Protecting Yourself Financially from Gender-Based Violence and Online Abuse
Gender-based violence often includes a hidden but devastating component, financial abuse. In South Africa, many GBV cases involve perpetrators using money, debt, or digital access to control victims. When combined with online abuse, the financial impact can be severe and long-lasting. Financial GBV can take many forms. These include forcing…
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Reporting Online Gender-Based Violence in South Africa and Getting Support
For many victims, knowing how and where to report online gender-based violence is one of the biggest challenges. In South Africa, digital GBV is increasingly recognised as a serious issue, but reporting processes can feel overwhelming, particularly during times of emotional distress. Online GBV includes harassment, threats, impersonation, stalking, image-based…
Continue ReadingWhat to Collect for an Investigator
Victims are encouraged to safely gather and preserve the following information, where possible, before or during an investigation: Screenshots of messages, emails, chats, social media posts, or threats, including visible dates, times, and usernames URLs or links to abusive profiles, posts, websites, or advertisements Email headers, sender addresses, and subject…
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