Oh, my honey… this one is close to my heart.

Let’s talk about something that should never have to be normal but heartbreakingly, still is. Gender-Based Violence in South Africa isn’t just a “social issue.” It’s a national crisis. A second pandemic. And we’re long past the point of silence.

I recently came across new data… and honestly, I had to stop for a second. One in five has been sexually violated. Over 35% of us have faced some form of physical or sexual abuse. And that’s just what is reported.

The South African Police Services (SAPS) reported that from January to March 2025 alone, over 10,000 rape cases were recorded. And experts say only one in thirty-six cases are actually reported. Let that sink in. The real number is far, far higher, in just THREE months?! Pure madness!

In the same period, nearly a thousand women were murdered, and over 14,000 were victims of assault with intent to cause grievous harm. It’s horrifying. It’s exhausting. And it’s unacceptable.

Behind every statistic is a face. A sister. A friend. A mother. A daughter. A story.

It’s often said, “not all men,” yet somehow, every woman has a story. In one way or another, every woman has felt the sting of abuse, whether through words, actions, or silence, at the hands of a man. What’s heartbreaking is that while most religions honour and uplift women, our society continues to fail them. In South Africa, more than one in three women have experienced physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. A painful reminder of just how far we still have to go.

Why This Matters So Deeply

GBV doesn’t start with violence; it starts with entitlement. With the harmful, patriarchal mindset that tells men they are superior, and women should stay small, silent, and submissive. It thrives in poverty, in substance abuse, in generational trauma that keeps repeating the same ugly cycle. The issue is deeply entrenched in the country's social and cultural fabric, driven by power imbalances and harmful gender norms, and requires a holistic, multi-sectoral approach to address effectively.

But to truly understand how deep this problem runs, we have to unpack it, layer by layer.

Causes and Contributing Factors

Harmful Gender Stereotypes and Patriarchy:
Deeply ingrained patriarchal attitudes that promote male dominance and female subordination are primary drivers of GBV. These norms often create a sense of entitlement in men and a climate where violence against women is tolerated or excused.

Socio-economic Inequality:
Poverty, high unemployment rates, and economic disparities exacerbate the problem. Women and girls from lower economic classes face “duplex oppression”, they’re more vulnerable to abuse and less likely to access support or protection.

Intergenerational Trauma:
Unresolved historical and generational trauma keeps violence alive in our homes. Children who grow up witnessing abuse often carry that cycle forward either as victims or as perpetrators.

Substance Abuse:
Alcohol and drugs are major situational risk factors that spike the likelihood of violence and aggression in homes and communities.

Ineffective Justice System:
Even with progressive laws, the justice system often fails survivors. Undertrained police, endless case backlogs, and secondary victimisation make women lose faith in the system that’s meant to protect them. Sadly, there are so many examples, but just look at the case of the Pastry Princess Killer. A man killed a woman with two knives in front of her young child in a "drunken fit of rage," shows "remorse," and gets a reduced sentence to 15 years and he hopes one day to reconcile and personally apologise to the family. Am I mad?? How is that remorseful?? Where is the death penalty?! Many women are scared to come forward because of “insufficient evidence” or disbelief. You know the narrative: “How? We know this person… he seems like such a good guy… he couldn’t have done it.”

Impacts of GBV

Physical and Mental Health:
Survivors often carry both visible and invisible scars from physical injuries to lifelong battles with PTSD, depression, anxiety, and trauma.

Economic Strain:
GBV drains our economy too, costing South Africa up to 1.3% of its GDP annually. Between healthcare, legal costs, lost income, and social services, that’s billions lost because of violence that should never have happened. Period!

Social Cohesion:
It breaks the very fabric of our society creating fear, mistrust, and silence in our homes and communities. It robs women of their ability to live freely, to participate fully, to simply exist without fear.

And still, women rise.
We rise with bruises, with courage, with prayer, with broken voices that refuse to go quiet.
We rise because we have no other choice.

But Here’s the Thing…

Talking about it isn’t enough anymore. Hashtags aren’t enough. Protests aren’t enough.

We have to equip ourselves mind, body, and spirit. Because while we continue to fight for justice, we also need to defend our right to safety.

That’s why I created DefendHER.

Your Safety!

Your Strength!

Your Right!

On Saturday, 29 November 2025, I’ll be hosting a self-defence class at Sweat.Smile Wellness Group in Pinelands and I want YOU there. This power-packed 90-minute, hands-on session, led by Frank Lebert, an IKMF-certified Krav Maga instructor, is all about giving women real, practical skills they can use if ever faced with danger.

But it’s more than just a class. It’s a movement. It’s about reclaiming your power, your voice, your space in a world that too often tries to take it from you. GBV is still a massive concern in South Africa, and we need our community to take a stand not just with words, but with action. We need to teach our daughters, our sons, our partners, and our friends that equality and safety aren’t luxuries they’re rights.

This event is my way of being the change I want to see in my country doing something, no matter how small, to make a difference. Because sometimes, empowerment doesn’t start with a roar. Sometimes, it starts with learning how to block, strike, and defend.

💻 Want to secure your spot? Visit our new ImproveHER events page to learn more and book your spot.

So, join me. Let’s show up for ourselves, for each other, and for every woman who never made it home. Together, we will DefendHER.

“This is my way of being the change I want to see in my country and try to make a small difference by empowering women to take their power back and stand up for themselves.”
— Bongi Mosele-Magampa

Love,
B🫶🏾