We are an independent and non-political group of concerned women of various ages, ethnicities, religions and backgrounds from South Africa. All our members are volunteers, working in their personal capacity, who have been touched by this issue and the ongoing cycle of GBV inflicted on women on a daily basis.

We live in a country with one of the world’s highest incidences of gender-based violence, rape, sexual assault, and femicide. In South Africa, some political parties and organisations declared that Israelis brought it upon themselves.  Others denied these atrocities occurred. These statements went unopposed. Our campaign aims to challenge these statements and demonstrate the danger of such rhetoric. 

As women, we have a responsibility to speak out when our sisters are sexually assaulted and violently abused, whoever and wherever they are, be they in Sudan, Mozambique, Ukraine, Ethiopia, the DRC, Syria or Israel.

There are no circumstances where rape and sexual violence can be justified or deserved. Blaming the victims of October 7 and failing to condemn the horrific atrocities committed by Hamas simply condones the use of rape and sexual violence as weapons of war.

WACSA, as a non-partisan organisation, champions the fight against gender-based and sexual violence globally, including during armed conflict. We believe a strong foundation in constitutional democracy, the rule of law, and human rights offers the most effective framework for long-term women's safety and perpetrator accountability.

Guided by principles of non-discrimination, WACSA firmly opposes antisemitism, Islamophobia, hate speech, misogyny, and all forms of prejudice. We actively seek collaboration with organisations, institutions, and individuals who share our commitment to these values.

While acknowledging that some entities working against violence against women may have broader political agendas, we prioritise collaboration with those whose values align most closely with ours.

We ask ourselves and our fellow South Africans:

• What message is sent to the world when the atrocities of October 7 are ignored, dismissed and justified despite overwhelming evidence?

• Why do so many people refuse to believe Israeli victims?

• Why is the burden of proof for Israeli victims so high, unlike for other victims?