SAMNET wants to highlight again the link between South Africa’s femicide rate, domestic violence, and alcohol abuse. The evidence is set out in the sources below. The question is what we are doing about it.

The numbers

• 60% of women killed in South Africa are killed by an intimate partner.
• That is roughly three women a day — which ought to be treated as a national crisis.
• The femicide rate in the Eastern Cape has been reported at 21 per 100 000, roughly double every other province.

Research has established a direct link between alcohol and domestic violence, gender-based violence, abuse and sexual risk, here and internationally.

What we are calling for

We reiterate our call for stronger legislation on alcohol advertising, availability and control, and for civil society, political parties, councillors and communities to focus urgently on stricter legislation and enforcement at national, provincial and local level.

Every tool should be in use — from municipal by-laws on proximity to schools and places of worship, trading hours and sales to children, through to national rules on lobbying, healthcare, protections and taxation.

Unless this is treated as a national priority we will fail another generation of women and young people. From the constant advertising of addictive behaviour — alcohol and gambling, especially around sport — through to media and celebrity conduct, alcohol use and abuse is too often normalised or made to look aspirational.

SAMNET calls for a national dialogue supporting civil society, faith-based organisations and political organisations to address alcohol legislation and regulation. Email your comments to info@samnet.co.za.

Sources

• 60% of femicide in SA is by intimate partners — The Outlier, on SAMRC data.
• Let’s have an honest conversation about the link between booze and GBV — DG Murray Trust, 2023.
• Gender-based violence, alcohol use and sexual risk among female patrons of drinking venues in Cape Town — 2013.
• Regulating alcohol will protect South Africa’s women and children — Sonke Gender Justice, 2023.
• Clear link between alcohol abuse and gender-based violence — SAMRC, 2021.
• SA has a serious gender violence problem — News24, 2020.

If you or someone you know is affected by domestic violence, the GBV Command Centre can be reached on 0800 428 428, and Lifeline South Africa on 0861 322 322.

Related

Alcohol Advertising, Availability and Controls

Shared by the South African Muslim Network (SAMNET) in the interest of proactively addressing the root causes of gender-based violence and addictive behaviour.