GBV Sheltering

Guns and Domestic Violence a Practical Guide

Guns & Domestic Violence

Published: 8 December 2025
Publication
These publications - two case study flyers and a practical guideline - offer essential information on guns in domestic violence, including how to request the removal of firearms from abusive partners. They explain how the Domestic Violence Act and Firearms Control Act allow police or courts to act when someone abusive, depressed, or suicidal has access to a gun. The guideline also provides support resources, helplines, and safety planning tools.
Safety Plan

Domestic Violence Safety Planning

Published: 4 December 2025
Download the Safety Plan for staying safe while enduring an abusive relationship, or when planning to leave, and after leaving. While every situation is unique, these tips are meant to help you think of actions that work for your own situation.
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Adapting to disaster: Domestic Violence Shelters and South Africa’s COVID-19 Lockdown

Published: 1 December 2021
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.
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?

Published: 17 August 2021
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.
DV Safety Plan

Domestic Violence Safety Planning

Published: 14 April 2020
Publication
While South Africa is in lockdown to curb the spread of the coronavirus, for those in abusive relationships, isolating at home presents additional risks. Our partner, the National Shelter Movement, has put together some suggestions for those needing to stay safe and seek help during this time. 

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

Published: 3 July 2019
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.

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

Published: 30 May 2019
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.

Policy Development and Financing of the Operations of Shelters for Abused Women

Published: 30 October 2018
In S v Baloyi the Constitutional Court placed a clear duty on the state to address domestic violence. Shelters disrupt this violence in significant ways but are significantly under-funded. This brief examines existing policy around shelters for abused women and recommends how this can be expanded and costed to more effectively uphold women’s rights and needs.

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

Published: 30 October 2018
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.

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

Published: 14 February 2018
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.  

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

Published: 14 February 2018
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.

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

Published: 13 November 2017
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.