'National strategic plan needed to address gender-based violence'

"An evidence based framework will help deal with domestic violence and gender-based violence to implement a national strategic plan on gender-based violence that will bring government departments and civil society together and will look at responses and prevention of violence," Sonke Gender Justice's Marlise Richter says.

Richter has been commenting following the release of Human Rights Watch's 2018 report. 

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It found that government's record on human rights has been poor, suggesting one in five women older than 18 have experienced physical violence. Richter says people need to come forward.

"Speak to some of the services that are available - there's a national gender-based helpline where a person can speak to a councillor anonymously. This is especially in the case of post exposure prophylaxis as well as to seek psycho-social support. These services are available," she says.