DOMESTIC VIOLENCE - WHERE TO GET HELP
Stop Woman Abuse National Toll-free Hotline 0800 150150
Life Line: Johannesburg (011) 728 1347
Durban (031) 23 2323; Port Elizabeth (041) 55 5581; Cape Town (021) 461 1111
Adapt: (011) 885 3309
Advice Desk for Abused Women: (031) 204 4111
Black Sash: (011) 834 8361
Domestic Violence Assistance Programme: (031) 260 1588
Family and Marriage Centre of South Africa: Johannesburg (011) 833 2057/788 4784; Port Elizabeth (041) 585 9393; Durban (031) 304 8991; Cape Town (021) 461 7360; Pretoria (021) 322 7136
Masimanyane Womens Support Centre:(0431) 43 9169
Nisaa Institute for Women’s Development:(011) 854 5804/5
People Opposing Women Abuse:(011) 642 4345
People Against Human Abuse:(012) 805 7416
Trauma Clinic: (011) 403 5102/3
United Sanctuary for Battered Women:(021) 572 5256
Wits Mental Health Society: (011) 484 1503
Women Against Women Abuse: (011) 642 4345
Women’s Net Website http://www.womensnet.org.za
Books on Domestic Violence
-Reclaiming Womens Spaces: New Perspectives on Violence Against Women and Sheltering in South Africa, by Dr Zubeda Dangor, Joanne Fedler et al. It can be ordered through the Nisaa Institute for Womens Development at (011) 854 5804/5 or through their website at http://www.nisaa.org.za/book.html
The following books are all available from amazon.com and I'm sure can be ordered through Exclusive Books.
-When Violence Begins at Home: A Comprehensive Guide to Understanding and Ending Domestic Abuse, by Karen Wilson
-It’s My Life Now: Starting Over After an Abusive Relationship or Domestic Violence, by Meg Kennedy Dugan and Roger R. Hock
-Surviving Domestic Violence: Voices of Women Who Broke Free, by Elaine, Ed.D.Weiss, Michael Magill
-Breaking Free from Partner Abuse: Voices of Battered Women Caught in the Cycle of Domestic Violence, by Mary Marecek et all
-Getting Out-Life Stories of women who left abusive men, by Ann Goetting
-Time to Stop Pretending: Story of one brave women who overcame domestic violence, poverty and homelessness, by Stephanie Rodriguez
-What to Do When Love Turns Violent: A practical Resource for Women in Abusive Relationships, by Marian Betancourt
- -Defending Our Lives: Getting Away from Domestic Violence and Staying Safe, by Susan Murphy-Milano
-Dangerous Relationships: How to stop Domestic Violence Before it Stops You, by Noelle Nelson
-Dangerous Marriage: Breaking the Cycle of Domestic Violence, by Linda McDill S. Rutherford McDill (Christian Perspectives)
-Keeping the Faith: Guidance for Christian Women Facing Abuse, by Marie M. Fortune
-You Can Be Free: An Easy-To-Read Handbook for Abused Women, by Ginny Nicarthy, et al
-No Visible Wounds: Identifying Nonphysical Abuse of Women by Their Men, by Mary Susan, Phd Miller
-To Be an Anchor in the Storm: A Guide for Families and Friends of Abused Women, by Susan Brewster
-The Domestic Assault of Women-Psychological and Criminal Justice Perspectives, by Donald G.Dutton
-When Men Batter Women: New Insights into Ending Abusive Relationships, by Neil S., Ph.D. Jacobson, John Mordechai Gottman
For stories and poems on Domestic Violence go to http://www.famvi.com/writings.htm
The only survivor of a shipwreck was washed
up on a small, uninhabited island.
He prayed feverishly for God to rescue him,
and every day he scanned the horizon for help,
but none seemed forthcoming.
Exhausted, he eventually managed to build a
little hut out of driftwood to protect him
from the elements, and to store his few
possessions.
But then one day, after scavenging for food,
he arrived home to find his little hut in flames,
the smoke rolling up to the sky. The worst had
happened; everything was lost. He was stunned
with grief and anger.
"God, how could you do this to me!" he cried.
Early the next day, however, he was awakened
by the sound of a ship that was approaching
the island. It had come to rescue him.
"How did you know I was here" asked the weary
man of his rescuers.
"We saw your smoke signal," they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things
are going badly. But we shouldn't lose heart,
because God is at work in our lives, even in
the midst of pain and suffering.
Remember, next time your little hut is
burning to the ground, it just may be a smoke
signal that summons the grace of God. For all the
negative things we have to say to ourselves, God has
a positive answer for it.
Aubrey Pieterse is a trained counsellor for rape, violence, trauma etc he runs courses and workshops and has a brilliant approach to empowering women, preempting attack and self defense. His email address is
The email address of the organization that is a shelter for abused women and children, and that did the campaign, REAL MEN DONT RAPE, is Zubeda, at
Statistics on Domestic Violence in South Africa
It is difficult to get reliable statistics on violence against women in South Africa. Although the number of reported cases is very high, many cases go unreported. The incidence of battery or domestic violence is particularly hard to measure because the police do not keep separate statistics on assault cases perpetrated by husbands or boyfriends.
Many women are still unaware of their rights when reporting abuse and even informed women traumatised by an assault are unlikely to be assertive and insist on their rights. Many women are afraid of further violence from the perpetrator if they attempt legal action. This is even more compounded by the introduction of the new Domestic Violence Act which a lot of women have not yet grasped. The challenge exists for the Act, including the regulations to be made an accessible form of legislation to benefit and protect women in all areas of their lives. Effective implementation of the Act also needs to be ensured, for effective legal preventative measures (protection order) and police escorts to abused women.
The gendered nature of domestic violence has unfortunately also seen an increase in the number of women being murdered by their intimate male partners. Lack of statistical information on this form of killing makes it very hard to measure the extent of the scrouge but newspaper reports on this issue, leave little to one’s imagination. These killings demonstrate the culture of male violence against women and sexism that still pervades our society. Women have fought and succeeded in getting many basic rights yet in the private sphere of their homes, the inequality between men and women is still a battle ground.
The Department of Justice estimates that 1 out of every four South African women are survivors of domestic violence. (450.311 Domestic Violence: Submission to the South African Law Commission in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1, May 1997)
According to POWA 1 in every 6 women who die in Gauteng are killed by an intimate partner.
The Institute of Security Studies did a research project in 1999. They found that:
90% of the women interviewed had experienced emotional abuse: being humiliated in front of others was most commonly reported.
90% had also experienced physical abuse: being pushed or shoved and being slapped or hit were highlighted.
71% had experienced sexual abuse: attempts to kiss or touch followed by forced sexual intercourse occurred most often.
58% experienced economic abuse: money taken without consent was most common.
42.5% of women had experienced all forms of abuse.
60% of all cases of abuse were committed by partners, lovers or spouses.
-Emotional abuse-either as a category on its own or in combination with other types of abuse was referred to by 63% of women as being the most serious.
-According to a Medical Research Council study, young women are more subjected to assault (ranging from slapping to beating with objects and stabbing) and sexual coercion by partners and others.
All the above information is taken from POWA.
More statistics on Domestic Violence in South Africa and internationally are available from the Womens Net website on: http://womensnet.org.za/pvaw/understand/nicrostats.htm
Visit the Tshwaranang website on http://www.tlac.org.za/about.htm
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