This June, the National Assembly passed three new bills aimed at addressing the scourge of gender-based violence (GBV). The Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Bill, Domestic Violence Amendment Bill and the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act Amendment Bill are, according to the government, the most far-reaching legislative overhaul in the fight against GBV and femicide.   

But just how much of a difference will the legislation make in a country where an average of seven women a day are murdered and 51% of women say they’ve experienced some form of gender-based violence? ..