As the country moves into the tail end of Women’s Month, non-profit organization Safe Space is in the process of launching an innovative website that holds the key to significantly reducing gender based violence through the means of social awareness. Safe Space is a female-run and owned Non-Profit Company that aims to fight gender-based violence through social awareness generated through user-based incident reporting.

“We believe that social awareness is the only thing we have power over right now,” explained Co-Founding Directors of Safe Space RSA, Nakita Naee’lah Dellwaria.

“We don’t have power over the way people see GBV, we certainly don’t have power over our perpetrators and we don’t even have power over what the police are doing to protect us,” exclaimed Dellwaria.

The Safe Space website can be used to access various resources in the fight against GBV, with updated shelter databases, emergency contact numbers, psychological resources, self-defense training, merchandise and so much more. Visit www.safespacersa.com

“My colleague and I were both affected by gender-based violence and we thought it is high time that someone stood up against the pandemic that is femicide in South Africa and thus Safe Space RSA was born,” explained Dellwaria.

Dellwaria explained it took a year to complete the brainstorming process and to materialize the idea.

“We thought about how gender-based violence is being tackled and we felt that nothing substantial was being done. There is nothing being done or nothing that is making a significant dent in the gender-based arena,” stated Dellwaria.

“What we are trying to do is make safer spaces in public, in the home and in the mind,” stated Dellwaria.

Dellwaria explained the Safe Space website will navigate women through ‘GBV hotspots’ to avoid reencounters with perpetrators.

“Just as we would use Google maps whilst driving toward a destination and be informed if there are any roadblocks or traffic or anything that would hinder the journey likewise you would be able to utilize the website in a way that can be used to protect yourself when you’re in public spaces,” detailed Dellwaria.

“There is absolutely no way we are going to tackle GBV overnight but this is a step in the right direction to make people completely aware of their surroundings,” expressed Dellwaria.

There are resources that will with self-defence, counselling and other means to combat GBV

“This is one stop shop for all things GBV,” said Dellwaria.

The website is set to go live on Monday, 24^th August on www.safespacersa.com

For more information visit info@safespacersa.com