Debi Steven, a gender-based violence (GBV) survivor, has called for urgent intervention starting at the school level to curb South Africa’s entrenched GBV crisis. Speaking in an interview published on 29 September 2026 by eNCA, Steven said schools must adopt a whole-community approach involving learners, teachers, caregivers, and other sectors to address the root causes of GBV before it escalates into violence.
“We can not deal with gender-based violence after women’s bodies are found,” Steven emphasised. She pointed to systemic issues of unequal power, entitlement, and a patriarchal culture that underpins violence against women and girls.
“We’ve got to figure out a way of how to tackle the root causes of gender-based violence, which is unequal power, entitlement, and a patriarchal system that for a very long time has valued men’s authority over women’s anatomy,” she said. Steven advocates for targeting all children, not just boys and men.
She added, “Look at all children, not just boys and men. We’ve got to have a whole school’s approach.” This includes challenging harmful gender expectations early on, fostering healthy relationships and boundaries from as early as Grade 2 through to Grade 4, and encouraging inclusive dialogue on respect and friendship.
Research supports Steven’s call. A 2019 cluster randomised trial published by PLOS investigated the Skhokho school intervention among Grade 8 learners across 24 South African state schools. While its primary outcomes showed no statistically significant differences, the intervention demonstrated generally beneficial effects on violence-related behaviours, suggesting school-based and family-linked programmes can positively influence GBV risk factors.
Further evidence from a 2025 synthesis published by Frontiers in Education underlines that effective school GBV prevention integrates peers, teachers, and communities in a comprehensive approach. Similarly, a systematic review on school-related GBV in sub-Saharan Africa found alarmingly high prevalence rates ranging from 46.6% to 75%, and identified interventions such as school policy reform, teacher training, student-centred initiatives, and community engagement as best practices.
South Africa’s Department of Basic Education also highlights a multifaceted prevention framework in recent parliamentary committee briefings. This framework involves curriculum rollout, teacher training, co-curricular programmes, care and support services, and advocacy to address GBV in schools.
The persistence of GBV in and around schools underlines the necessity of early intervention, moving beyond solely post-incident criminal justice responses. As Steven pointed out, prevention efforts must start when children are young and be embedded throughout the school environment.
What remains unverified in this reporting is Steven’s claimed 30-plus years of experience in violence prevention, which has not been confirmed by independent sources. Additionally, claims about the involvement of faith organisations following student engagement in GBV interventions remain opinion-based from the interview.
CapeFlats.co.za will continue monitoring education and community-level GBV prevention efforts and report subsequent developments.