Read the latest legal news, updates and commentary from the offices of Simon Dippenaar & Associates.
You may have heard the shocking story of Sarah Everard, a London woman who went missing and was later found dead, a police officer arrested on suspicion of her murder. She was walking home from a friend’s house around 9.00 in the evening, an act that should be perfectly safe (in London, if not in […]
This article is from the UK’s Guardian newspaper. It contains some shocking statistics on violence against older women. We are sharing it because we believe this happens in our society as well, and these victims are invisible. We know that gender-based violence is endemic in South Africa, but we think of it in the context […]
Reprinted from the Observer. By Andrew Anthony – 2021-02-21 Jane Monckton Smith: ‘The clues are very often in what the person says about themselves.’ Photograph: Gareth Iwan Jones Photographer/Gareth Iwan Jones for The Observer The author and professor of public protection on the red flags of coercive control and how courts should change to give abuse […]
President Ramaphosa extends Alert Level 3 and announces new measures to combat “second pandemic” of GBV and femicide The President’s speech on 11 January, coming just two weeks after he announced a return to Alert Level 3, albeit “adjusted”, harboured few surprises. Some might have hoped for an end to the alcohol ban, but it […]
Actor says playing role of abused wife gave her new insight and hardened her stance on the issue This is a shocking statistic: “…for every three months that lockdowns continue, an additional 15 million women around the world are expected to be affected by violence”. Nicole Kidman speaks out against gender-based violence after playing an […]
As we embark on another 16 Days of Activism for No Violence against Women and Children Campaign (16 Days Campaign), which takes place from 25 November (International Day of No Violence against Women) to 10 December (International Human Rights Day), we have nothing to celebrate. Rates of violence against women and children have been on […]
The issue of abusive men – reprinted from the Guardian. By Sonia Sodha – 2020-11-01 Once again, a male perpetrator of violence is painted as terribly misunderstood Reeva Steenkamp: shot to death through a bathroom door Photograph: Gallo Images/Getty Images Her name was Reeva Steenkamp. She was a 29-year-old model who was the face […]
Nude selfies and use of such apps should not be taken as ‘blanket consent’, says CPS Reprinted from the Guardian, by Caelainn Barr – 2020-10-19 Dating apps like Tinder have come out on top of conventional dating websites like Match.com, at least among those under 35. As users exchange intimate photos and messages before even […]
Elite Models boss Gérald Marie was one of the most powerful men in fashion. Was he also a sexual predator? As French prosecutors investigate, four women tell their stories for the first time Reprinted from the Guardian. A special investigation by Lucy Osborne – 2020-10-17 It is three years since the news broke about Harvey […]
It’s time to free yourself from your manipulative former husband, says Mariella Frostrup Reprinted from the Guardian – 2020-09-06 This reader’s dilemma from the UK’s Guardian newspaper caught our eye. It is not uncommon for divorced co-parents to continue in an emotionally dependent and unhealthy relationship. The constant contact of raising children can make it […]
Judges emphasise that procedural fairness must be upheld Reprinted from groundup.org.za, by Tania Broughton – 2020-09-04 Three appeal judges in the Western Cape provincial division have laid down guidelines on how eviction orders, in domestic violence matters, should be dealt with. Photo: Brian Turner via Flickr (CC BY 2.0) A magistrate ruled that a husband accused of […]
Reprinted from joburg.org.za – 2020-08-19 The City expects law enforcement agencies to take stern action against perpetrators of Gender-Based Violence (GBV), all the while guaranteeing protection for victims. It is incumbent on law enforcement officials to create safer conditions that ensure female victims reporting cases of violence against male perpetrators are not re-victimised. These are […]
