Exponential increase in endemic gender-based violence during COVID-19 lockdown in South Africa

Abstract

The novel coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic necessitated the full or partial lockdown of many countries worldwide. South Africa was not exempted as strict restriction regulations mandating everyone to stay at home except for essential services workers were put in place in the early onset of the pandemic. Prior COVID-19 pandemic, Gender Based Violence (GBV) has been an endemic in South Africa. However, the COVID-19 pandemic restrictions have exacerbated the problem of GBV in South Africa as there were many gender-related reported and unreported attacks, especially on women and girls during the strict lockdown. The current paper highlights the potentials of preventive interventions in curbing GBV in the midst of the pandemic. It looks at how victims/survivors can seek help and the assistance that are available to them. As a way forward, the paper accentuates that GBV response unit during COVID-19 pandemic should be declared as an essential service so that victims can have unhindered access to help while the perpetrators are swiftly apprehended and brought to justice. In conclusion, the paper notes that one of the reasons why victims remain in abusive relationship is the lack of financial capacity to meet different essential needs provided by the perpetrators. As such, providing necessary financial assistance in terms of funds and money and psychosocial support to victims/survivors, would enable them to be independent and liberate them from their abusers.