The World Health Organisation says there has been an increase in cases of gender-based violence across the world as the fight against the coronavirus pandemic continues.
According to the UN Health Agency, over 100 women are killed globally every day.
Women have been forced to stay at home as their movement has been restricted, leaving them in the same space as their abusers.
President of the Inter-Parliamentary Union, Gabriela Cuevas Barron says, “Violence against women has already reached epic proportions in all societies with 137 women killed every day globally by a member of their own family. The level of domestic violence and sexual exploitation further increases as a result of confined living conditions and economic stress.”
SA court officials to undergo sensitivity training
The African National Congress (ANC) says it welcomes the announcements made by President Cyril Ramaphosa on how the country will move with speed in making sure that gender-based violence is rooted out of society.
During an address on Wednesday evening, Ramaphosa told the nation that GBV is another pandemic facing the country, equally with COVID-19.
He said the courts will receive a major boost, which will see all officials going for “sensitivity training” in order to better handle cases of abuse.
ANC National spokesperson Pule Mabe says this could not have been done at a better time.
“I think one of the things which the President brought up and we cannot ignore – is our continued fight against gender-based violence – calling on all South Africans to unite and make sure that those that are involved in this act are named and shamed. They cannot be kept in our homes and we don’t alert the police of such men who give men a bad name.”
In the video below, SABC News takes a closer look at gender-based violence under lockdown in numbers:
– Additional reporting by Abongile Dumako
