Vision, Mission & Aims
Stop Gender Violence Helpline Project
The Stop Gender Violence Helpline Project (SGVHP) is a programme coordinated by LifeLine Southern Africa in Braamfontein, Gauteng. It was established in 1999 as the ‘Stop Women Abuse Helpline’ but because of the prevalence of abuse emerging from both genders, they changed their name and approach in 2004.
The SGVHP is toll-free and provides anonymous, confidential, and accessible counselling, information and referral services to survivors, witnesses and perpetrators of gender-based violence. It operates between 07H00-21H00 for five days a week (Monday-Friday). Statistics generated from the SGVHP prompted the extension of the helpline services into communities. Since 2004/ 2005, awareness–raising workshops have been running in eight provinces, aimed at empowering women and children in rural communities. The SGVHP has in 2006 expanded their workshops to include; Gender-Based Violence and HIV/ AIDS, Life Skills and Support-Group Facilitator training focused on the Northern Cape and Mpumalanga. 2007 has seen the inclusion of a workshop specifically for men and the prevention of gender-based violence through the facilitation of ‘Communication for Men’ workshops and Peer-Education training.
Innovation
The SGVHP’s tentacles are reaching people in eight provinces (excluding Gauteng) due to their outreach aspect. Because gender-based violence is such an pertinent issue in South Africa, the SGVHP decided to focus their outreach aspect intensively on Mpumalanga and the Northern Cape, the provinces with the lowest call-rate. They have acknowledged the mobilization of men as important to combating the issue of gender-based violence by creating empowerment workshops geared towards them. The core of the initiative, the helpline, is the only national helpline in South Africa, that focuses on addressing gender-based violence.
Effectiveness
The helpline is manned by 14 counsellors that are presented with an average of 177 889 calls every year. The SGVHP have had 514 people attend their Awareness-Raising, Skills Training and Support Group Training workshops in 2006. Mpumalanga has seen 288 people and the Northern Cape 226 people, participate in these workshops that are run by Lifeline-trained peer educators. Women are the majority in these sessions but a strong male percentage has consistently been visible.
Poverty Impact
More than 177 889 people have access to counseling and support with professionally trained counselors. This enables them to deal with their neurosis and makes them better equipped to support each other.
Sustainability
The project cost R1 170 259 to run in 2006, with an income of R 2 261 940. SGVHP’s biggest funder (31.5%) is the Gauteng Dept of Social Development. 18.2% is generated from both the South African Lotteries Board and Sasol. 17.1% comes from the Telkom Foundation and the rest, 15%, from the Dept of Public Enterprises
Replication
The model can be replicated, but needs a core of dedicated donors and experts. It is also important that the necessary telecommunications infrastructure is in place.
Partnerships
- Dept of Public Enterprises
- Provincial Dept of Social Development
- Lifeline Southern Africa
- Sasol
- Telkom Foundation
- SA Lotteries Board
