Blog

A practical, personalized Domestic/Gender Based Violence Safety Plan during this time of Covid-19. A message brought to you as published by the National Shelter Movement of South Africa. Excellent. Click here to view/downloadRead more

This brief highlights emerging trends and implications for the provision of essential services (health, police and justice, social services and coordination of these services) for women and girls who have experienced violence during the current COVID-19 pandemic. It provides actions taken at the regional, national and local levels, in partnership with Governments, civil society organizationsRead more

The SAPS must inform domestic violence (DV) victims of their rights or give them the support they are obligated to provide them as per the Domestic Violence Act. Below is a list of some of the services you should expect from the SAPS when you report domestic violence. A SAPS official must complete all relevantRead more

People often have a limited understanding of what constitutes domestic abuse. In this article, we provide more in-depth examples of abuse. Abuse can be in the following forms and more:  Physical abuse includes “shoving, slapping, punching, kicking, throttling, biting,” but can also include attack with a weapon including “objects, guns, knives or any other dangerous weapon.”Read more

You have right and there are ways to protect yourself against an abuser. If the abuser threatens your life and you live in fear of the abuser, then a protection order could be an option. Here’s what you need to know about applying for a protection order: Anyone can apply for a protection order againstRead more

The first point of call for victims of domestic violence when reporting an incident is the South African Police Service (SAPS). After that, they would follow a procedure with the domestic violence sections at the courts, the Public Prosecutors and shelters if need be. Legal access is a privilege in South Africa, and if weRead more

We all have three classic responses to fear namely fight, flight and freeze, but according to an article published on The Mighty, there is a fourth trauma response called fawn. These responses are not necessarily harmful as they help “us to respond quickly to threats and get to safety.” However, it becomes problematic when youRead more

According to an article published on Break the Silence Against Domestic Violence (BTSADV), “stalking is a situation (or series of incidents) aimed at a specific person to cause them to fear.” When it comes to domestic violence relationships, the abuser attempts to maintain control over the victim through stalking. Stalking methods can include “physically followingRead more

Victim blaming is not something we became aware of recently. It coincides with domestic violence. There are many psychological reasons why people blame victims for abuse. It could be that they want to maintain their perfect view of family life and marriage, or they are not familiar with unhealthy relationships, and are unable to acceptRead more

Narcissists are attracted to people who can tolerate their abuse. According to Sharie Stines, a recovery expert who specialises in personality disorders and complex trauma; narcissists are attracted to people who are forgiving, loyal, outward focussed, self-sacrificing, overly responsible, and accommodating.” Here’s how narcissists exploit these positive traits in their victims Forgiving. For a narcissistRead more