Victims of Gender-Based Violence Will Now Be Better Protected

By signing three gender-based violence (GBV) bills into law, South Africa is boosting its protection of women and children, offering survivors a greater chance to receive justice, and changing the narrative when it comes to abusive behavior.

“We must now continue the task of preventing abuse from occurring in the first place,” says President Cyril Ramaphosa. “This task entails men and boys checking their own values and behaviors that cause them to regard women and girls as targets of control and abuse, also building a society based on advancing fundamental human rights and dealing severely with people who violate others.”

First introduced in 2020, the bills followed a public outcry for the South African government to take GBV seriously. Under the new law, it will be mandatory to add sex offenders to a national register. Also, the definition of domestic violence has been reviewed to include victims of assault to women engaged to be married, dating, in customary relationships, or in any intimate, sexual or romantic relationship.