GBV: Care & Support in a Time of Epidemic

A research project dedicated to better understanding how COVID-19, and the subsequent implementation of lockdown in South Africa has impacted on the incidences, experiences and responses to domestic violence in the country.

On 27 March 2020 South Africa entered COVID19 lockdown. One of its consequences was also to effectively confine women to their homes in the constant presence of their abusive partners. Recognising the potential danger in this, government declared shelters to be essential services and required their continued operation subject to specific conditions. But at the same time, women’s access to transport, courts and police stations, as well as their ability to move about freely was severely curtailed, making help-seeking difficult. Media reports had been filled with statistics both alarming and conflicting regarding the increase of domestic violence during this period. Yet there was little analysis of these claims and less exploration of the actual and multiple ways in which the lockdown may have shaped women’s experiences of violence during this period and the impact that was had by conditions imposed on shelters. This project, undertaken in collaboration with researchers Lisa Vetten and Kailash Bhana, documents some of the conditions enabling of violence, as well as a focus on the future of policy and practice in relation to domestic violence and care work. This work continues a previous project focused on strengthening the states response to Gender-Based Violence particularly from the context of sheltering for abused women.

Series 1: Evidence of Domestic Violence during Lockdown

This publication, and its associated virtual discussion, presents the available evidence for violence during the lockdown using data from three points of service, the national Gender-Based Violence Command Centre, the South African Police Services and health facilities.

Cover of Brief 1 Impact of Lockdown on Domestic Violence in South Africa

The Impact of the Covid-19 Lockdown on Domestic Violence in South Africa: What do we know?

Research Brief No.1
This brief is one of a series produced by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in relation to its ‘Care and Support in a Time of Epidemic’ research project. The project focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on  shelter services to victims of domestic violence in South Africa, and seeks to strengthen policy and practice in the provision of domestic violence services.
By Lisa Vetten

Series 2: Adapting to Disaster: Domestic Violence Shelters and South Africa’s COVID-19 Lockdown

The second brief in this series lays the ground for the in-depth research report reflecting on the qualitative and experiential dimensions of the lockdown, both for the women who sought refuge, as well as those providing shelter services. Written from the perspective of shelters, brief 2 provides two accounts of working under these dramatically altered circumstances. The first tells how shelters adapted to the state of disaster through the harnessing and alignment of multiple processes and actors. The second is a considerably less sunny account. Focusing on the Department of Social Development, the brief surfaces habits and histories so entrenched that they were impervious to change – even in the face of disaster.

Brief_2_AdaptingtoDisaster_DVShelters_Covid19Lockdown_final.pdf_Adobe_Acrobat_.jpg

Adapting to disaster: Domestic Violence Shelters and South Africa’s COVID-19 Lockdown

Research Brief No.2
This brief is the second in a series produced by the Heinrich Böll Foundation in relation to its ‘Care and Support in a Time of Epidemic’ research project. The project focuses on the impact of the COVID-19 lockdown on shelter services to victims of domestic violence in South Africa, and seeks to strengthen policy and practice in the provision of domestic violence services.
By Lisa Vetten and Kailash Bhana

Previous related projects: Enhancing State Responsiveness to Gender-Based Violence

"Enhancing State Responsiveness to Gender-Based Violence: Paying the True Costs" was a 3-year European Union funded project undertaken in partnership with the National Shelter Movement of South Africa between 2016 to 2018. The project aimed to support state accountability for adequate and effective provision of domestic violence survivor support programmes, specifically those related to the sheltering of abused women. It also aimed to raise public awareness of the important role of shelters and to strengthen and build their capacity and services. This work has resulted in the amassing of a solid body of evidence on key challenges affecting the sheltering sector as well as challenges that victims/survivors face when seeking police and other services. This project built on the successes of an earlier project undertaken in partnership with the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre between 2011 and 2013 which was also funded by the European Union.

Publications

The Long-term Impact of Shelters on the Lives of Abused Women

This publication is the last in a series of provincial studies on shelters for abused women undertaken by the HBF and the NSM and supported by the EU. This study focuses on women's experiences of having accessed shelters and those who render such services. It does so in an attempt to better understand what is required to meet the long-term needs of those seeking reprieve and an end to violence.
By Claudia Lopes, Zethu Matebeni, Sixolile Ngcobo and Mpiwa Mangwiro

What is Rightfully Due? Costing the Operations of Domestic Violence Shelters

Shelters provide critical services to abused women, yet, most are chronically under-funded and highly variable. Current government allocations to shelters are not informed by a costing framework. This results in services being driven by resources rather than best practice. A new report aims to address that short-coming.

Out of Harm's Way: Women's Shelters in the Eastern and Northern Cape.

This publication is one of a series of provincial studies on women's uses of shelters undertaken by the HBF and the National Shelter Movement of SA's EU-supported 'Enhancing State Responsiveness to GBV: Paying the True Costs' project. The publication describes women's uses of domestic violence shelters paying particular attention to women's mental health needs as well as government policy and budgets in relation to the provision of sheltering services in the Eastern Cape and Northern Cape.
By Lisa Vetten and Claudia Lopes

Housing Women Who Have Experienced Abuse: Policy, Funding and Practice [Mpumalanga]

This publication is the second of a series of shadow reports that the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the National Shelter Movement of South Africa have produced in relation to their ‘Enhancing State Responsiveness to Gender Based Violence: Paying the True Costs’ project. The publication was partly produced with the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre to End Violence against Women.This report was produced with the financial support of the European Union.
By Claudia Lopes and Patience Mungwari Mpani

Housing Women Who Have Experienced Abuse: Policy, Funding and Practice [KwaZulu-Natal]

This publication is the first of a series of shadow reports that the Heinrich Böll Foundation and the National Shelter Movement of South Africa have produced in relation to their ‘Enhancing State Responsiveness to Gender Based Violence: Paying the True Costs’ project. The publication was partly produced with the Tshwaranang Legal Advocacy Centre to End Violence against Women.  
By Claudia Lopes and Patience Mungwari Mpani

Shelter Services to Domestic Violence Victims – Policy Approaches to Strengthening State Responses

This policy brief considers the provision of shelter services to victims of domestic violence and is done in relation to the Heinrich Böll Foundation (HBF) and the National Shelter Movement of South Africa‘s (NSM) “Enhancing State Responsiveness to GBV: Paying the True Costs” project. Funded by the European Union, this project aims to support state accountability for adequate and effective provision of domestic violence survivor support programmes, specifically those associated with the provision of shelter for abused women.
By Claudia Lopes and Joy Watson

associated articles & other

Think of Those the Fiscus Forgot

Opinion
In his 2018 budget speech, Minister Gigaba emphasised the need to “lend a hand in addressing society's most pressing challenges”. Among a myriad of social challenges facing our country are the ever-present, persisting rates of violence against women and children. Shelters play a critical role in providing women with reprieve from domestic violence - women who, by and large, are economically disenfranchised. It is with this in mind, that the minister's budget must be interrogated.
By Claudia Lopes and Thokozile Madonko
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