A South African NGO highlights the shortage of shelters for men experiencing gender-based violence during the 16 Days of Activism. Helping Hands reports only two such facilities exist nationwide. Assistant social worker Dickson Solomons shares cases underscoring the urgent need for support.
South Africa is currently observing the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence, a period that amplifies calls for comprehensive protection measures. Non-governmental organization Helping Hands has drawn attention to the limited resources available for male victims, noting just two shelters dedicated to men affected by GBV—one in Limpopo and another in the Western Cape.
Dickson Solomons, an assistant social worker with the NGO, challenges the common perception that men are solely perpetrators of violence. He points out that many men suffer from abuse by other men or by women. Solomons describes a poignant case: "I’m dealing with a case where a good man’s kids have been taken away. The mum is on drugs, she doesn’t want to participate in anything, and she goes to informal settlements to sell herself there. This man has to run after this woman looking for birth certificates just to put his child in school."
In this instance, the man faces assaults from his partner's sexual partners and occasional attacks from her as well, leading to instability in his employment and homelessness. Solomons emphasizes the broader crisis: "So that is the kind of man we have on the street, under the bridges. There is nothing for them; even the shelters prioritise catering to women and children first."
The NGO estimates around 175 abused men require immediate shelter and support, yet social workers often lack options. Another example involves a disabled client enduring severe abuse from his partner, who has invited other men into their home and once inflicted 18 stab wounds on him. He survived and received medical attention, but such escalations highlight the dangers.
Solomons observes a shift in attitudes: "Men automatically come by themselves… There was a time when the ego was there, now the ego is now gone… When they come to you, you must know that it’s already big; the ones that have egos are very few." This increasing willingness to seek help underscores the need for expanded services to address male victims' plight effectively.