Latest news with #NationalShelterMovementofSouthAfrica
The Star
5 days ago
- The Star
Calls for community support grow as GBV victims withdraw cases amid pressures
Calls mount for support of GBV victims as case withdrawals reach alarming rates As South Africa grapples with a disconcerting crisis of gender-based violence (GBV), a recently identified trend of victims withdrawing cases against their abusers has raised alarm, prompting calls from various organisations. It is explained that with the country's femicide rate reported to be five times the global average, these withdrawals are not merely administrative hiccups; they signify a potential tragedy for victims and their families. The National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) has taken a stand against this alarming trend, highlighting widespread reports from survivors who arrive at shelters only to disclose that their cases have been mishandled or retracted at police stations, often under undue pressure. 'This is not a procedural failure; it's a betrayal of justice. Pushing survivors to drop charges isn't just negligent; it's dangerous because it puts women straight back in the hands of their abusers. This is a worrying signal that SAPS has no intention of holding perpetrators accountable. That's not policing; it's complicity.' The organisation challenged the notion that reconciliation equates to safety, insisting that the primary role of law enforcement should be to protect those in danger rather than coax them back into harm's way. 'We cannot separate these failures from the broader crisis in how GBV and femicide cases are handled. At a time when we need a police service committed to protecting women and children, SAPS's collapse of integrity risks destroying survivors' trust in the justice system – and their chances of accessing justice at all.' Concerned voices have echoed throughout the Gauteng Provincial Legislature's Portfolio Committee on Community Safety, especially following a recent oversight visit to Fochville Police Station, where startling revelations showcased that 64 GBV cases had been withdrawn. Victims reported facing immense pressure from perpetrators, which often included financial incentives and coercive family dynamics, ultimately compelling them to resolve matters privately, not only undermining their safety but also jeopardising the integrity of the justice system. 'When cases are withdrawn, we effectively give a free pass to repeat offenders,' said the Committee. These systemic failures not only hinder efforts to combat crime but threaten to escalate violence against women, leading to graver transgressions such as rape, assault, and murder. In response to the escalating crisis, the Committee has condemned these troubling national trends, urging immediate community action. They are calling on various stakeholders, traditional leaders and community organisations included, to take proactive roles in educating society about the importance of reporting GBV incidents and fostering communal support for survivors. [email protected] Saturday Star
eNCA
10-08-2025
- Politics
- eNCA
Decisive action needed to end GBV
JOHANNESBURG - Gender based violence has been in the spotlight, as we celebrate Women's Month. It remains a big problem for government to solve. Women and children continue to live in fear across the country and while calls increase for decisive government intervention President Cyril Ramaphosa says initiatives are in place to deal with this serious issue. Zubeda Dangor from the National Shelter Movement of South Africa, spoke to #eNCA.
IOL News
27-06-2025
- Health
- IOL News
How South Africa's youth unemployment fuels sexual exploitation and gender-based violence among young women
A recent study by the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) has unveiled the troubling reality that young women are increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence and mental health crises, exacerbated by economic hardships and social media trends influencing dangerous relationships with older men. Image: Supplied Gender-based violence (GBV) is a serious concern in South Africa, especially for university students. Image: Supplied South Africa's youth unemployment rate, reported at 62.4%, has heightened the vulnerability of young women to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF). This alarming statistic is closely tied to rising rates of anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychosis, often driven by substance abuse linked to transactional sex resulting from limited employment opportunities. This is according to the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), following a study presented by Clinical Psychologist Sibongile Sibanyoni, which revealed shocking evidence that economic hardship, gender inequality, and social media trends are driving the "blesser/blessee" relationships between older men and young women and girls in South Africa. While politicians and some in the private sector ponder the country's economic hardships due to high levels of unemployment, NSMSA National Coordinator, Anisa Moosa, stated: 'Our biggest concern about these blesser/blessee relationships is their contribution to gender-based violence. The dependency of a young girl on a grown man is dangerous, not only for her physical well-being but psychologically too.' Early this month, the Quarter 1 2025 quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa reported that youth unemployment has risen by over 10 percentage points in the last 10 years, indicating that young people aged 15-34 face an unemployment burden of 46.1%, which has gone up from 36.9% recorded in 2015. This comes as Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie recently courted controversy when he said that the country's unemployment rate, which was 32.9% for the first quarter, would be closer to 10% if self-employed people and those working in informal markets were counted. Last month, Sibanyoni, who presented her research findings in a webinar hosted by the NSMSA, indicated that 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas were engaging in sexual relationships with older men, adding that there is reliable evidence of psychological impact on some of them. Her findings are also backed by a 2017 Wits University study by Oncemore Mbeve, a doctoral researcher in the African Centre for Migration and Society whose study, titled, "Understanding transactional sex among young women in South Africa: a study based in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces", linked transactional sex with limited economic opportunities among women in South Africa and other parts of the continent. "Transactional sex in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is rife, and financial constraints are a major driver. Quantitative studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggest that young women who are involved in transactional sex are nearly two or more than three times vulnerable to HIV. The young women are involved in transactional sex with older men to access financial needs for survival as well as for purposes of consumerism." Sibanyoni's study also uncovered that there is a common thread of early relationships with absent or unreliable caregivers that influences an individual's ability to form and maintain emotional bonds in adulthood. The lack of financial dependability on caregivers causes the young women to develop a dependency and need for security. Reacting to the insights from the NSMSA and Sibanyoni's findings, Siyabulela Monakali, spokesperson for Ilitha Labantu, an anti-GBVF movement, confirmed a "devastating and heartbreaking" link between high levels of youth unemployment and transactional sex. Monakali stated that this has made the situation unbearable for women and young girls. "South Africa's youth unemployment rate, currently at an alarming 63.9%, according to Stats SA, creates a harsh reality for many young women and girls, especially in townships and vulnerable communities. Without access to economic opportunities, they often face the impossible choice of relying on transactional sexual relationships to meet their basic needs. "What is deeply troubling is that perpetrators are fully aware of this vulnerability. They exploit young women's desperate situations, using their economic power to control and manipulate them. This is not a matter of choice or agency. It is a reflection of systemic failure to provide the economic and social safety nets that young women deserve," he said. Sibanyoni indicated that her research was influenced by social media trends amid the rise of the blesser culture over the last few years. "I was also intrigued by the use of the hashtag #blessed on social media platforms such as X and Facebook. I began to wonder who was 'blessing' the lifestyles of these young women. When I discovered that 'blessers' were financing or 'blessing' young women, I became curious about the psychological effects of these intergenerational sexual relationships (blesser-blessee relationships). This curiosity drove me to explore the phenomenon more deeply and gain a comprehensive understanding of its impact." Cape Argus
TimesLIVE
22-06-2025
- General
- TimesLIVE
'Economic crisis driving vulnerable youth into exploitive relationships': shelter movement
Economic hardship, gender inequality and social media influence are driving a rise in 'blesser/blessee' relationships between older men and young women and girls, as youth unemployment in the country hits a record high, says the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA). NSMSA national co-ordinator Anisa Moosa said the biggest concern about these relationships is their contribution to gender-based violence. 'The dependency of a young girl on a grown man is dangerous, not only for her physical wellbeing but psychologically too,' Moosa said. According to research findings of clinical psychologist Sibongile Sibanyoni, 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas are engaging in sexual relationships with older men, and there is already evidence of a psychological impact on some of them. She presented the findings of her study in a webinar hosted by the NSMSA in May. Her study uncovered that there was a common thread of early relationships with absent or unreliable caregivers which influenced an individual's ability to form and maintain emotional bonds in adulthood. The lack of financial dependability on caregivers caused the young women to develop a dependency and need for security. 'SA's unemployment rate has steadily increased in the last 10 years, from 25.5% in 2015 to 32.9% in the first quarter of 2025. The unemployment rate has deepened the level of poverty and almost half of the country's population lives below the poverty line,' she said.
IOL News
19-06-2025
- Health
- IOL News
SA's youth unemployment breeds sexual exploitation, GBFV scourge among young women
A recent study by the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA) has unveiled the troubling reality that young women are increasingly vulnerable to gender-based violence and mental health crises, exacerbated by economic hardships and social media trends influencing dangerous relationships with older men. Image: File South Africa's reported 62.4% youth unemployment rate has made young women vulnerable to gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF), anxiety, depression, suicidal ideation, and psychosis due to substance abuse as a result of transactional sex borne out of limited employment opportunities. This is according to the National Shelter Movement of South Africa (NSMSA), following a study presented by Clinical Psychologist Sibongile Sibanyoni, which revealed shocking evidence that economic hardship, gender inequality, and social media trends are driving the "blesser/blessee" relationships between older men and young women and girls in South Africa. While politicians and some in the private sector ponder the country's economic hardships due to high levels of unemployment, NSMSA National Coordinator, Anisa Moosa, stated: 'Our biggest concern about these blesser/blessee relationships is their contribution to gender-based violence. The dependency of a young girl on a grown man is dangerous, not only for her physical well-being but psychologically too.' Early this month, the Quarter 1 2025 quarterly Labour Force Survey from Statistics South Africa reported that youth unemployment has risen by over 10 percentage points in the last 10 years, indicating that young people aged 15-34 face an unemployment burden of 46.1%, which has gone up from 36.9% recorded in 2015. This comes as Capitec CEO Gerrie Fourie recently courted controversy when he said that the country's unemployment rate, which was 32.9% for the first quarter, would be closer to 10% if self-employed people and those working in informal markets were counted. Last month, Sibanyoni, who presented her research findings in a webinar hosted by the NSMSA, indicated that 82.8% of young African women in impoverished areas were engaging in sexual relationships with older men, adding that there is reliable evidence of psychological impact on some of them. Her findings are also backed by a 2017 Wits University study by Oncemore Mbeve, a doctoral researcher in the African Centre for Migration and Society whose study, titled, "Understanding transactional sex among young women in South Africa: a study based in KwaZulu-Natal, Eastern Cape and Mpumalanga provinces", linked transactional sex with limited economic opportunities among women in South Africa and other parts of the continent. "Transactional sex in young women in Sub-Saharan Africa, including South Africa, is rife, and financial constraints are a major driver. Quantitative studies conducted in Sub-Saharan Africa suggest that young women who are involved in transactional sex are nearly two or more than three times vulnerable to HIV. The young women are involved in transactional sex with older men to access financial needs for survival as well as for purposes of consumerism." Sibanyoni's study also uncovered that there is a common thread of early relationships with absent or unreliable caregivers that influences an individual's ability to form and maintain emotional bonds in adulthood. The lack of financial dependability on caregivers causes the young women to develop a dependency and need for security. Reacting to the insights from the NSMSA and Sibanyoni's findings, Siyabulela Monakali, spokesperson for Ilitha Labantu, an anti-GBVF movement, confirmed a "devastating and heartbreaking" link between high levels of youth unemployment and transactional sex. Monakali stated that this has made the situation unbearable for women and young girls. "South Africa's youth unemployment rate, currently at an alarming 63.9%, according to Stats SA, creates a harsh reality for many young women and girls, especially in townships and vulnerable communities. Without access to economic opportunities, they often face the impossible choice of relying on transactional sexual relationships to meet their basic needs. "What is deeply troubling is that perpetrators are fully aware of this vulnerability. They exploit young women's desperate situations, using their economic power to control and manipulate them. This is not a matter of choice or agency. It is a reflection of systemic failure to provide the economic and social safety nets that young women deserve," he said.
