Gender Based Violence during COVID-19: Quarantined with your perpetrator!

By Nomacebo Mbayo

R2K activists picketing against gender based violence outside Parliament. PIC: Unknown

For many women who are facing abuse in  a form of domestic violence, quarantine during lockdown is a nightmare. There have been reports of a high rate of cases during this time with possibly a number of cases of domestic violence that could not even be reported due to the lockdown. This has led to numerous articles by the South African media that pointing out increases of risks in abusive relationships.  More and more women found ways to avoid the abuse by seeking help and moving out seeking shelter in NGOs that are leading in GBV protection. One can only imagine the fear of being trapped with the abuser, unable to leave, escape or reach out for help.

 Women in the West Coast attest to having experienced many forms of abuse during the lockdown, physical abuse and emotional abuse taking a lead. The cases include men failing to financially support their children blaming this on the lockdown.

Davine Cloete, community activist from the West Coast shared a story of how she was forced to go through COVID-19 testing process to prove to her son’s boss that she was not diagnosed with the virus after being accused of being positive. “This emotionally abused me as an activist, it cost me my dignity and the trust that the community had in me, I was left with no choice but to open a case against the accusers”, said Davine.

Meanwhile two cases of domestic violence were reported to community leaders in Elsenburg.  A husband allegedly threatened to kill his wife and three children, the family was assisted and were later placed in a shelter for safety. Later that week two girls were placed in foster care with their aunt after another case of abuse was reported.

“My worry is that cases of GBV will rise due to unemployment and hunger. With the recent case of Mfuleni, where a man set fire to their house with their kids, shows that women are not safe in this Covid-19”, this was a concern raised by Karabo Monatisi during our interview.

These situations are evidence that in these difficult times we face with the pandemic the safety of women and children remains a huge challenge and that we should continue combating patriarchy and say No to Gender Based Violence .