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The Strengthening Actors for Effective Preventative Response Project (SAFE-PR), developed by MOSAIC Training Service and Healing Centre (hereinafter referred to as MOSAIC) aims to advance the rights and safety of women, children and other vulnerable groups in relationships, homes and community, by convening localised multi-stakeholder SAFE Platforms made up of duty bearers and first responders to domestic and intimate partner violence in various communities. The SAFE Platforms are place-based, focussing on convening stakeholders in a particular area to connect existing assets and resources to increase capacity in removing barriers to survivors accessing care, safety, security and justice guaranteed in law, particularly the Domestic Violence Act. This is linked further to the goal of ensuring that protection orders protect and harm is prevented! Duty bearers and first responders to domestic violence are the police, social workers, magistrates, clerks, healthcare workers, teachers, neighbourhood watch, religious and traditional leaders, civil society members. Therefore, multi-stakeholders are personnel from the local institutions of the South African Police Services, Department of Justice, Department of Health, Department of Social Development, as well as community-based civil society organisations who come together to identify gaps, challenges in advancing the care, safety, security and justice to survivors and co-create solutions to improve the lives of survivors in the communities they live. Through the SAFE Platform, we believe that by fostering collaboration and cooperation among these entities, we will enhance the effectiveness of preventative measures and responses to domestic violence using the expertise of diverse stakeholders coming together around a shared objective. MOSAIC provides the backbone support for the SAFE Platforms to foster continuous communication amongst stakeholders, connect agreed upon activities and coordinate the referral pathway of the multi-sectoral collaboration, to address the systemic barriers and challenges that affect DV survivors when seeking services. The aim is to remove barriers to access at a local level and connect stakeholders to work towards meaningful solutions to the pervasive issue of domestic violence so that we can achieve the goal of advancing safety in relationships, homes and communities.   Where does SAFE operate? SAFE currently operates in three locations, Philippi, Mitchell’s Plain and Paarl. A SAFE Platform is selected based on several factors: Existing Presence: MOSAIC has a presence within the communities. This existing presence facilitates legitimacy within the community as we are part of the service delivery chain and of the community. This also makes it easier to leverage collaborative success through existing networks.  High Incidences of DV: Philippi, Mitchell’s Plain, and Paarl experience high incidences of domestic and intimate partner violence, as indicated by official SAPS crime statistics and MOSAIC court service data. This underscores the urgent need for intervention and support in these areas. Infrastructure: Each of these locations has multiple police stations, courts, and other support services already available. This ensures the provision of resources for accessing justice and support services for community members affected by DV. By operating in these specific areas, SAFE can directly target communities with significant need for intervention and support and further enhance the effectiveness as well as reach of the platform’s initiatives.   How does SAFE work?   The SAFE Platforms uses an asset-place based approach focused on localised community-coordinated responses to achieve its objectives in advancing the implementation of DV laws and removing barriers to survivors accessing care, safety, security and justice services in their local communities. Here’s how it works: Platforms/Hubs: SAFE established platforms/hubs at a local community level, strategically connecting stakeholders from various sectors. These hubs serve as spaces for collaboration, information sharing and joint efforts in preventing and responding to domestic violence. Convening, Meetings and Training: Stakeholders are strengthened through regular convenings, meetings and training sessions. The activities focus on enhancing coordination, information sharing, building supportive relationships and improving the quality of services. Referrals and Resource Sharing: SAFE establishes robust referral systems across stakeholder to ensure survivors of DV have access to a wide range of support and services they need. This includes facilitating referrals to appropriate service providers, reducing service duplication and maximising resource efficiency to better meet the needs of survivors. Coordination & Integration: MOSAIC provides strong and skilled coordination to ensure that different parts of the system are working together in the most efficient and effective manner. This involves convening stakeholders, facilitating collaboration, building and maintaining relationships necessary for effective collaboration. Shared Measurement: SAFE implements a shared measurement system with common objectives, indicators and reporting systems. Data collected through this system feeds into a shared public dashboard, enabling all stakeholders to easily track progress. This shared measurement approach fosters accountability, transparency and collection action among stakeholders. How can others get involved and why does it matter?  The third quarter crime statistics released by the SAPS last month, indicate that over 19 000 women were victims of domestic-related physical and sexual violence in South Africa. These crimes reported to SAPS during the period 01 October – 31 December 2023 represent only a small proportion of domestic violence incidents, with many cases going unreported or without a criminal case being opened. In the same period, 152 women were murdered, and 238 attempted murder cases against women in domestic violence related cases were opened. This is the grim reality of our society which should urge all of us to want to get involved in shaping our relationships, homes and communities to be safer. Domestic violence and gender-based violence is a violation of human rights and has serious physical, emotional and psychological consequences for survivors and their families. Additionally, its continued prevalence undermines trust and cohesion within families and communities and cannot be tolerated. By addressing the root causes, holding perpetrators accountable as well as implementing preventative measures we create safety in relationships, homes and communities.  SAFE is a platform that can exist in your community too. There are several ways we can all work together to address domestic violence and support initiatives such as SAFE.  Working together we can rebuild and ensure that violence has no place in our relationships, homes and communities. If you are looking at

The National budget speech, tabled by Finance Minister, Enoch Godongwana, on Wednesday, 21 February presented declined economic growth forecasts and a rising debt to GDP ratio. The state re-emphasised its commitment to its fiscal goals, including austerity measures to the tune of R80.6-billion in reduced spending. These measures will undoubtedly continue to affect post-GBV services to abused people, especially women and children offered by organisations like MOSAIC. MOSAIC offers a holistic basket of services to empower individuals, families and communities to enjoy safe relationships, homes and communities free from gender-based violence. The commitment to post-GBV care at the time of the incident is realised in MOSAIC’s provision of 24-hour first responder and counselling support as part of the Thuthuzela Care Centre (TCC) model. Offering a lifeline to survivors of sexual and domestic violence and their families. The impact of the current austerity measures have already disrupted this continuum of care, in the form of consolidation of services, non-filling of vacancies, among others, leaving gender-based violence response services devoid of the dedicated, specialist personnel as envisioned in the NSP on GBVF. What are austerity measure policies and why do they matter? The Institute for Economic Justice explains austerity measures as a way to “balance the budget”, through restrictive austerity policies implemented through aggressive spending cuts, regressive tax increases, or a combination of both. As we face the reality of a GDP in consistent decline and high unemployment rates, it’s crucial to recognise the interconnectedness of economic stability and social well-being. Violence, particularly gender-based violence, stands as a significant barrier to unlocking our nation’s full potential. Budget cuts affecting essential services like TCC have far-reaching repercussions, impacting not only women’s health, access to justice and safety, but also hindering economic productivity. So what’s the REAL Impact Let’s visit Khayelitsha District Hospital (KDH), with a subdistrict population far exceeding its official bed capacity, serving as a stark example of the challenges faced in providing essential care amidst limited resources. A woman, let’s call her Tinstwalo, walks into KDH having just experienced rape. She is aware that KDH has a dedicated TCC that has specialised services for rape survivors. She goes there after escaping from the hands of her rapist expecting the comprehensive service promised by the integrated TCC model. However, due to the current austerity measures, she waits almost 24-hours to receive the specialised services because  there is no dedicated forensic doctor. Tintswalo, is only received by a MOSAIC first responder, who has no capacity to examine and administer life-saving medication such as Pre-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) to prevent contracting HIV, emergency pregnancy prevention medication, wound treatment. Her physical and emotional wounds are left untreated for hours. During this time, Tintswalo, without access to a doctor present at the time of presenting at the TCC is at risk of secondary victimisation and might miss the first 72 hours, which are a critical window for medical care, support and forensic evidence collection, post rape. The ripple effect of access to post-violence care also hinders Tintswalo’s ability to open a criminal case, supported by collected evidence by a doctor, should she choose to pursue justice. “Failure to access immediate post-violence care defines a survivor’s life forever going forward, through possible contraction of HIV/STIs and unwanted pregnancies as well as unseen scars. This is the real cost of brutal budget cuts which are felt across the sector, inflicting secondary victimisation of thousands of women who labour daily for South Africa’s economy.” – Adv. Tarisai Mchuchu-MacMillan, MOSAIC Executive Director. MOSAIC’s advocacy for 24-hour specialised post-violence care is informed by a deep understanding of the urgent need for comprehensive and timely support for survivors of GBV. MOSAIC understands that the consequences of failing to access post-violence treatment extend far beyond the immediate trauma, shaping the trajectory of a survivor’s life indefinitely. By engaging with stakeholders such as the Western Cape Gender Justice Forum and the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA), MOSAIC continues to advocate for efficient 24-hour service delivery within TCCs. The TCC model was designed as a real solution to the pandemic of GBV as such, it is essential that collectively the Department of Health, National Prosecuting Authority, Department of Social Development and South African Police Service work together to prevent the implications of budget cuts and ever growing austerity measures to not affect post-GBV care services. It’s imperative to look beyond the Rands and Cents, and recognise the real-life impact such measures have on individuals and society as-a-whole.

February, with its many symbols of love, serves as a reminder of the importance of examining how we express love within our intimate spaces- relationships, homes and even our communities. Home should ideally be a sanctuary of love and safety. In MOSAIC’s 30 years of providing support services to survivors of domestic and intimate partner violence, this ideal of love and safety that intimate relationships and homes purport is not the reality  for many women and children, it is a site of violence and fear. What is love? To love and be loved is what we all need and must work to ensure that where love is professed, there is no harm in its name, because love doesn’t hurt! It should never manifest in acts of harm or aggression. Yet our society is littered with stories of many slain women at the hands of those who professed to love them most. The sobering daily reports by Women for Change, detail the murders of at least 15 women and children due to intimate partner violence since the start of 2024. These are just the reported cases, which likely represent only a fraction of the true extent of the problem, as many incidents of intimate partner violence go unreported. Bell Hooks’ identification of essential ingredients that make up love, including care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust resonates deeply with MOSAIC’s understanding of love as a transformative and nurturing force. MOSAIC advocates for healthy and equitable relationships based on gender equality, respect, care, knowledge, responsibility and understanding. By embracing these essential ingredients of love, we strive to support people in all domestic partnerships to create a relationships and homes where love is not only celebrated as a feeling but practiced in its most transformative form. Love simply put, cannot be used in the same breath as violent acts, in all its varied ways, that cut short the lives of women and children. MOSAIC’s commitment to eradicating violence in relationships, homes, and communities is deeply rooted in the belief that, love and violence are fundamentally incompatible. Transforming relationships and homes to ensure that Love Doesn’t Hurt MOSAIC’s dedication to preventing all forms of abuse and violence against women and children is guided by five pillars that prioritise holistic support in transforming relationships and homes to become places where love doesn’t hurt. These pillars inform our holistic approach to providing quality services and programme interventions that connects people to transformative support in their journey of healing and rebuilding their lives, including behaviour change for those that weaponise love as a tool to hurt. Access to Justice is important for equipping survivors with the legal tools and resources they need to safeguard themselves from further harm. Busisiwe Mthethwa’s brutal murder by her partner in Philippi as we ended 2023,  serves as a stark reminder of not only the urgent need for justice and accountability in cases of gender-based violence, but a need for hyper awareness of how to detect when what is being provided in the relationship is not love. Mthethwa was a 56-year-old resident of Samora Machel, Philippi, Cape Town, who did not get to live to work towards her New Year’s resolutions. Through MOSAIC’s court support services and Thuthuzela Care Centre work, anyone can access support to gain protection from abuse and violence and ensure that love doesn’t hurt. Support & Healing: Experiencing abuse and violence in relationships from a person you love and who professes love to you can affect a person physically, emotionally, mentally, spiritually and even economically, in a way, it affects the way they see themselves, how they manage and enter relationships and even they outlook to the future. We offer short, medium or long-term therapeutic counselling tailored to suit the needs of the survivor to advance their healing. We understand the complexity of love and how interconnected it is to families, thus we offer couples counselling including behaviour change for men who use violence in relationships.  Where women with their children are in danger or need to escape a space, we provide residential care through our shelters, to ensure that love doesn’t hurt. Economic Empowerment: Economic independence is essential to survivor’s autonomy, and MOSAIC’s initiatives provide women with skills and finding opportunities for financial empowerment to break the cycle of abuse. Our Fellows-Survivor led #Pieces2Peace initiative is an innovative training and empowerment programme for survivors, assisting women in finding financial stability and actualise true choice. Economic empowerment is key for women to leave abusive and violent relationships, as such we place an emphasises on skills development and training for survivors so that they can access employment opportunities, create their own businesses and/or pursue further education and training. Gender Equality & Safety: Redressing the inequities perpetuated by patriarchal systems and harmful gender norms, we work towards dismantling the structural barriers that perpetuate violence and abuse. Hooks key ingredients remind us that when we intentionally love one another with care, commitment, knowledge, responsibility, respect, and trust we prevent violence from occurring in our relationships, homes and communities. We commitment to safeguarding our partners from harm and being responsible for our actions, armed with the knowledge of love only exists with respect, trust and care. Violence can be prevented through couples counselling being open to learning new ways of conflict resolution. Systems Change and Strengthening: Through advocacy and policy reform at every level of the system we must play a role in ensuring that our justice system is responsive to the pandemic of gender-based violence. MOSAIC’s SAFE-PR project consisting of multi-sector groups, working in each township community to bridge the divide between women, frontline practitioners and multi-sector stakeholders, in particular, community policing forums, police service and court officials. For the next 12 months, we have also partnered with Gun Free South Africa (GFSA) and the National Shelter Movement to launch a campaign, Remove The Trigger, to raise awareness of the use of guns in the context of domestic violence as well as to control and coerce victims. Each of MOSAIC’s five

By Advocate Tarisai Mchuchu-Macmillan, Executive Director of MOSAIC  How do we break the silence around domestic violence? For decades if not centuries or millennia, domestic violence, has thrived because of victims as well as witnesses keeping quiet. Yet, in a world where we have access to more modes of communication than ever before, the silence around domestic violence continues. The culture of silence in families when there is abuse and violence in the home has influenced the way in which communities and the care and justice system responds and reacts to domestic violence. The deafening silence is felt and seen in the slow pace of response to domestic violence. Communities report that the police do not act when domestic violence matters are reported, and families find ways to negotiate violence to keep it within the confines of the household. These actions continue to enable the pattern of domestic violence, and entrenches the intergenerational cycle of violence in South Africa and across the world. For many domestic violence has become the norm. The UCT Children’s Institute and MOSAIC Training Services and Healing Centre recently completed a research study exploring the intersections between violence against women and children. The findings suggest one of the most significant driving factors of violence in the home is the normalised nature of abuse and violence in the family as well as the community keeping quiet about the violence experienced.   Understanding the nature of violence Many families and communities think of violent behaviour as the norm – starting a conversation and educating everyone on what Domestic Violence is, and how it affects individuals and families, particularly women and children who are the majority of victims, is the first step in shifting the pattern of violence. Domestic Violence is not only defined as physical abuse. It also involves emotional and psychological abuse, including intimidation, humiliation, control, isolation, and all other forms of abusive behaviour.   Breaking the silence Speaking about the abuse and violence in the home is seen as a form of family betrayal. This culture of not speaking out entrenches violence and promotes under-reporting of violence thus indicating that the number of Domestic Violence cases reported, is only the tip of the iceberg. Victims of violence need to know they are heard and believed. They need to find someone they trust to talk to, to become survivors of violence.   Knowledge is power The next step in breaking the pattern of violence knowledge. First is understanding ways to break the cycle of violence within relationships, homes and communities, this is done through gender transformative workshops that build the capacity of individuals and families to build positive, equal and non-violent relationships. Secondly, know your rights and find the support and courage to stand up for yourself. We must increase rights education linked to practical ways on how to claim those rights when a violation happens in the home and/or family. This means that individuals and communities are empowered with an understanding of their right to dignity, equality and bodily integrity and how they can report and access their rights to care, safety and justice from the system.   Changing the pattern The silence itself is a driver of domestic violence. Those who have suffered any form of abuse or violent behaviour at the hands of their partners, household members or family are encouraged to speak out. Breaking the silence could prevent others from being victim to the violence, and opens up support networks for the victim, those witnessing the violence and the person inflicting the violence themselves. One of the widest drivers of violence in the home are harmful gender norms, driven by patriarchy within families leaving most women and children voiceless. To change the pervasive pattern of domestic violence, we need to fully invest in gender-transformative programming at a policy and local implementation level. To end the pattern of violence the voiceless needs to find their voice. Survivors and witnesses of domestic violence need to be empowered to come forward and speak up in a safe place where they feel protected and heard. Only then can we start to break the pattern and build on a culture where domestic violence is not the norm. Please find link to the study below: http://www.ci.uct.ac.za/sites/default/files/image_tool/images/367/intersections/repository/project-publications/Intersections_VAWVAC_Final%20Report_2022_220322.pdf   For more information, inquiries or requests for interviews, please contact: Carli Roodt Communications consultant E: carli@mosaic.org.za T: +27 84 580 1587   About MOSAIC MOSAIC is a community-based non-governmental organisation (NGO) that works to prevent and reduce abuse and domestic violence. This is achieved by providing holistic, integrated services when incidents      occur, and supporting clients through the process of healing and rebuilding their lives after a traumatic event. MOSAIC creates an enabling environment through our holistic and integrated five-pillar service model Access to justice – psychosocial and legal support provided by court support workers, and psychosocial support from MOSAIC’s Sexual Violence Counsellors at Thuthuzela Care Centres Support and Healing – Counselling Services, Support Groups and Sexual and Reproductive Health Rights; Engaging Men and Boys- Training and Workshops, Support Groups and Counselling for Men Empower- Education and Skills Training, Rights Training, Youth GBV Life Skills and Community Dialogues Advocacy and Policy- Advancing rights of women and girls by providing evidence from our services to change the system. The organisation was established in 1993 in response to high levels of violence against women in South Africa, particularly in the form of domestic violence, and in recognition of the silence that many women suffer in unnecessarily, due to either a lack of knowledge of their rights, a lack of confidence to access justice for themselves, or both. MOSAIC’s registered head office is in Cape Town, South Africa. For further information about MOSAIC, please visit www.mosaic.org.za

Positive and engaged fatherhood can help us make significant strides towards attaining genuine gender equality and dismantling toxic ideas of masculinity that fuel gender-based violence. By Kerryn Rehse, Advocacy, Policy and Research Officer, MOSAIC As with most successful collaborations in society, teamwork makes the dream work. Unfortunately, while the same rules should apply to parenthood, which should be a partnership, mothers are often left to tackle parenting alone or take on most parenting duties, even in relationships. Fathers will need to get off the bench and become part of the starting lineup as active players in fairer, more gender-transformed parenting teams if we want a shot at attaining genuine gender equality in our very patriarchal society. Research conducted over five years by the Human Sciences Research Council and the South African Race Relations Institute shows that 60% of South African children have absent fathers while more than 40% of mothers are single parents. Although an estimated two-thirds of fathers in South Africa do not live with their children, the benefits of engaged fatherhood exist regardless of whether a father lives with the child. The meaningful presence of a caring, involved father in their child’s life from an early age is proven to impact early development positively. It is just as vital for young people. Both parents can live separately and still be present for a child, which can be achieved if we discard patriarchal ideas of what it means to be a man and father and allow childcare work to be shared. Sharing the burden of care is crucial in empowering women, ending violence against them and transforming toxic masculine thinking and behaviour. The root of men and boys using violence, which often manifests itself through rape, physical, emotional and financial abuse, lies in the need for power, control and in gender stereotypes and toxic ideas of what makes a man. We, therefore, need fathers to show up through engaged fatherhood that provides opportunities to role model healthy and respectful relationships. A father who plays an active role in a child’s life can influence the child immensely. This is a critical entry point to foster gender equality and challenge limiting gender norms and roles. We cannot talk honestly about sharing the responsibility of raising children without mentioning costs. Engaged fatherhood includes sharing the financial burdens of childcare. Unfortunately, the overwhelming majority of single-parent households are headed by women, meaning that absent fathers leave mothers to shoulder the financial weight of childcare alone. In addition, unequal economic opportunities exacerbate the financial burden on single mothers. The vast gender wage gap, obstacles in career advancement and development, the lack of flexible work environments and comprehensive and affordable childcare options are just some of the challenges that compound financial pressure on single moms. These extra challenges often trap single mothers in low-ranking or low-paid roles or keep their households on the brink of poverty. Taking absent fathers to maintenance court is an attempt to ease this financial strain and get financial respite. And yet, time and again, we see the profound injustice served when a father argues that he has no money or contests the required amount to contribute to childcare shared costs. Child maintenance regulations should be strengthened to encourage solutions that consider the child’s holistic needs and promote gender-equitable solutions. If fathers do not have the economic means to contribute to the child’s welfare, courts could mandate that they take over their other care needs. For example, where a father argues that he is unemployed, the court could instruct him to provide aftercare support such as help with drop-offs, homework, sporting game attendance, bath times etc. This would remove the burden of the unpaid care labour on the mother, who also needs to work to cover the financial gap that he cannot and help her attain a work-family life balance. We also don’t want to short-change mothers by not evolving the narrow role of the ‘ATM father’ – a father who is there to contribute financial support and little else. While some fathers are financially present in their children’s lives, they nevertheless still believe that the mother is best placed to nurture the child and that they do not have a role to play other than providing for the child’s financial needs. However, this does not relieve mothers of the demands of being the default parent, a position with endless operating hours that entails doing the lion’s share of the day-to-day work of parenting. We need fathers to roll up their sleeves and bring more than the proverbial food to the table to achieve genuine gender equality in parenthood. MOSAIC is an anti–gender-based violence (anti-GBV) organisation: www.mosaic.org.za

An engaged version of fatherhood can help us make significant strides towards attaining genuine gender equality and dismantling toxic ideas of masculinity that fuel gender-based violence. By Kerryn Rehse, Advocacy, Policy and Research Officer MOSAIC A well-known African proverb tells us that raising children takes a village, a reminder that child-rearing is work better shared within the framework of a supportive community. And yet, research conducted over five years by Statistics SA shows that 60% of South African children have absent fathers while more than 40% of mothers are single parents. Although South Africa has an estimated two-thirds of fathers who don’t live with their children, the benefits of engaged fatherhood exist regardless of whether a father lives with the child. The meaningful presence of a caring, involved father in their child’s life from an early age is proven to impact early development positively. It is just as vital for young people. Both parents can live separately and still be present for a child, which can be achieved if we discard patriarchal ideas of what it means to be a man and father and allow child-care work to be shared. Sharing the burden of care is imperative in empowering and ending violence against women and transforming toxic masculine thinking and behaviour. The root of men and boys using violence, which often manifests itself through rape, physical, emotional and financial abuse, lies in the need for power, control and in gender stereotypes and toxic ideas of what makes a man. We, therefore, need engaged fatherhood that provides opportunities to role model healthy and respectful relationships. A father who plays an active role in a child’s life can influence the child immensely. This is a critical entry point to foster gender equality and challenge limiting gender norms and roles. Sadly, the prevailing stereotype of bead winner or provider also robs fathers of the opportunity to be genuinely involved in their children’s lives. Based on our work engaging men, we have seen how money plays a role in father absenteeism in parenthood. When fathers don’t have money, they tend to stay away from their children. Others believe that the mother is best placed to nurture the child and that they do not have a role to play other than paying maintenance money to provide for the child’s needs. Let’s move from these views of an ATM father – there to provide money and little else. Instead, we need to understand that some fathers might not have the economic means to contribute to the child’s welfare but can uplift the burden on the mother in other ways by being physically and emotionally present and seeing to different care needs of the child. It is for this reason that we also need to relook the textbook definition that describes absent fathers as “fathers who are unable to participate actively in the fathering roles expected in terms of social, emotional, economic and protective contributions and providing for their children.” While this definition is okay on paper, it unfortunately also fosters the toxic belief that a man is a good father only if he provides all the needs in the description. A more generous and gender-transformed definition of fatherhood will ensure the best outcomes for children, mothers, fathers, and indeed the whole village. MOSAIC is an anti–gender-based violence (anti-GBV) organisation: www.mosaic.org.za