Every month in South Africa, an average of 320 women are murdered, 3 934 are raped, and 5 341 suffer grievous bodily harm. On this Women’s Day, Action Society warns that behind the speeches and tributes, millions of South African women are not celebrating – they are surviving.
“This is not just gender-based violence,” said Juanita du Preez, spokesperson for Action Society. “It is a sustained, systematic assault on women. When a nation’s women are attacked at this scale, it stops being ‘crime’—it becomes terror.”
The SAPS Crime Statistics for 1 October to 31 December 2024 show:
- 961 women murdered – 11 every day, 320 every month
- 11 803 women raped – 131 every day, 3 934 every month
- 16 023 women assaulted GBH – 174 every day, 5 341 every month
These are only the reported cases. Thousands more remain hidden in silence, fear, or distrust of a system that too often fails them.
By comparison, terrorism kills around 1 667 people per month globally. South African women alone face over 9 500 violent attacks every month—yet there is no war room, no emergency deployment, and no national mobilisation.
South Africa does have Sexual Offences Courts, but there are just over 100 for the entire country—far below what is needed. Many are under-resourced, inconsistently staffed, or not fully operational. Rural and high-crime areas often have no access at all.
Action Society is calling for:
- Violence against women to be declared a national disaster
- Urgent investment in public-private partnerships to strengthen investigative and forensic capacity
- Expansion and permanent legislation of Sexual Offences Courts in every district
- Better-trained prosecutors and magistrates to prioritise GBV cases
- Enforcement of mandatory minimum sentences and closure of legal loopholes
“This Women’s Day, we cannot simply honour women with words,” Du Preez concluded. “We must defend their right to safety and dignity with decisive action. Silence protects the predator, not the victim.”
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