Image Source: Smile FM
Local – How do we maintain momentum when the national spotlight fades after the 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children?
Each year, South Africa mobilises around gender-based violence for two weeks, yet the crisis continues long after campaign banners come down.
While awareness rises during the campaign period, the deeper work of prevention, accountability and healing often loses urgency by the start of a new year.
Registered counsellor at SADAG, Vanishaa Gordhan-Narotam, said lasting change depended on sustained community conversations, accessible support systems and a shift in how society responded to violence and trauma.
She explained that without consistent engagement, communities risked returning to silence once the campaign ended.
“I always think it’s very important to talk around mental health, give information and change the narrative which is so important.”
She said the 16 Days campaign should serve as a launchpad for year-round engagement rather than a one-off intervention.
Across the country, she noted that multiple organisations continued to operate beyond the campaign window, offering legal support, trauma care and mental health services to survivors.
However, she added that these services often became under-utilised once public focus drifted and social attention moved on.
“We can and must carry on having this conversation through the year… It’s about holding accountability and being responsible as well.”
Shame and Silence
Gordhan-Narotam said one of the most persistent barriers to sustained activism remained shame and stigma within communities.
She explained that many survivors struggled to name their experiences as abuse, particularly in conservative environments where disclosure was still met with judgment.
She added that this culture of silence delayed reporting, isolated survivors, and allowed abuse to continue in private, unchallenged spaces.
“There is a lot of shame when it comes to victims struggling… a lot of the survivors feel that shame when they have to talk about their experiences.”
The Role of Mental Health
Gordhan-Narotam said mental health awareness played a critical role in both prevention and recovery.
She explained that emotional regulation, perspective-taking and the ability to pause before reacting shaped how individuals responded to stress, conflict and perceived provocation.
She added that when these skills were strengthened across families, schools and communities, they reduced the likelihood of violence escalating and supported healthier coping mechanisms.
“Mental health is the crux of our well-being… it determines how we act, how we behave, how we see things.”
She further noted that children needed to be empowered early with the language and confidence to understand unsafe behaviour, speak out and feel protected when reporting harm.
Safe spaces are needed not only in formal institutions but also in homes, classrooms, and everyday relationships.
