Gender-based violence – a communal issue November 27, 2025

The campaign 16 Days of Activism started on 25 November, a global drive to combat the devastating impact of gender-based violence and femicide (GBV) on women, children, and vulnerable groups. This is a cause so immediate and pressing in South Africa and within our community.

Last Friday, 21 November, women from the South African Jewish Board of Deputies participated in the “national shutdown against GBV” at Constitution Hill in Johannesburg. The gathering, which was timed to coincide with the start of the G20 in the city, was a powerful indictment of our nation’s staggering GBV statistics, a visceral reminder that indifference is no longer an option. Participants reported that it was an exceptionally powerful protest alongside thousands of women – and a few men – on an issue that unites us as South Africans. It was a rare and moving moment of genuine national unity in the face of a horror that affects us all.

GBV isn’t an “us and them” problem, it’s an urgent and pressing issue within our community, and we cannot – and may not – be blind to it. Unfortunately, there’s a deep-set stigma within the community, and issues of intimate partner violence, assault, and general unwanted touch are either under-reported, dismissed, or buried in silence. This reticence is compounded when speaking out is branded as a betrayal, lashon hara, or a mere airing of dirty laundry.

This taboo must be broken, and our leaders have to take the lead. They need to state clearly that GBV has no place in our shuls, schools, or institutions, and that perpetrators will not be protected. Integrity and moral example are the fundamental scaffolding of religious and community leadership, and I implore our leaders to have the courage to take on the scourge of GBV.

Thankfully, there are avenues for those who find themselves affected by GBV or unwanted touch, both inside and outside the community. I must highlight the work done by Koleinu SA, which gives support and assistance to victims. I must also highlight the exceptional work done by the Chevrah Kadisha, which also deals with cases of abuse within our community. But we cannot leave it to them alone, we must all raise awareness, address the root causes, and act collectively.

I call on all sectors of society and community, especially our communal leadership to unite in building a safer community, eradicating the causes of GBV, and taking firmer action to break the taboo for victims by holding perpetrators accountable

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