PsySSA Stands in Solidarity with 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence
Today marks the start of the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence (25 November – 10 December).
This year, we open the campaign with the global call to End Digital Violence Against All Women and Girls — a reminder that violence does not only occur in physical spaces. Online harassment, cyberstalking, non-consensual sharing of images, digital threats, misinformation and targeted abuse cause real psychological harm, deepen systemic inequalities, and silence the voices of women, girls and LGBTQIA+ people.
In South Africa, where gender-based violence and femicide remain widespread, the digital world has become an extension of these patterns of harm. Online violence reinforces stigma, retraumatises survivors, and limits participation in social, academic and economic life — especially for young women and marginalised communities. Ending digital violence is therefore an essential part of building a safer, more just society both offline and online.
Just days ago, the Women’s Shutdown on 21 November highlighted the national urgency of confronting all forms of GBV. That collective action reminded us that the fight against violence — whether physical, structural or digital — requires solidarity, accountability and sustained commitment.
As the Psychological Society of South Africa (PsySSA), we recognise the deep psychological impacts of digital violence and the ways it intersects with trauma, identity, power and social exclusion. Our discipline plays a crucial role in supporting survivors, promoting safe digital environments, advocating for rights-based policies, and helping communities build resilience and digital literacy. We remain committed to advancing ethical, trauma-informed practice that places human dignity at the centre.
Over the next 16 days, PsySSA will share daily contributions from our Divisions — offering insights, tools and reflections that support the national and global call to end gender-based violence in all its forms.
Online and offline, every person deserves safety, respect and the freedom to speak without fear.
The work continues — today, and every day.