This article’s a quick read. By the time you get to the end of it, a woman in South Africa would have been the victim of violence, most likely at the hands of someone she knows. Within the hour 4 women would have been raped. Within the day 11 would have been killed.
We live in a country where GBV is regarded as a national disaster (because it is). 30 years ago, we were labelled the rape capital of the world (thanks for that world), and even though it was never true, it remains true enough for us to have trouble shedding this title. According to the Women’s Peace and Safety Index of 2025/2026, which measures justice, inclusion and security, South Africa came in at 113 out of 181 countries. Context – Ukraine came in at 116, and they have been at war for 4 years now. It’s all pretty sobering.
But it’s women’s month and we don’t want to be the fun police (see what we did there), we want to celebrate women in all their amazing, powerful glory – women, who remain resilient, nurturing, protective and kind despite a multitude of reasons to be contrary, like those appalling and quite frankly embarrassing stats up top.
Our first thought was to create a list of safety tips, because obviously. That’s what we do. But we got to thinking, it’s easy for us to tell women to take responsibility and care of their personal safety, but you were raised on this stuff. You have more personal awareness, more spatial understanding, more ingrained fear and focus then the average guy could ever enter the day with. That’s just facts.
What can we tell you that you don’t already know? Not much. We’ve made a list anyway of course, just in case, but not one that includes locking the back door, because, you’ve been walking around with keys between your knuckles since you could pick them up. We won’t suggest you don’t park your car in dark parking lots – you all taught us that one. And we won’t suggest you toss out your uncovered drinks, we know you already have. But what we will bring are some of the more unconventional learnings we have gleaned over the years, yes you probably know them too, but it’s always good to have a resource – for sharing, for caring, for life.
Fifteen Tips You Probably Know, But We’re Sharing Anyway, Because You Never Know….
- We’ve learnt that a woman’s intuition is seldom wrong. So, ladies, trust your gut. We do.
- Stop being polite. We know that’s your default setting but you don’t owe anyone anything. If something doesn’t feel right, get out of dodge. (And call us, In Case of Anything).
- Try to always keep your dominant hand free. If you are attacked, you want to be able to lead with that one straight away. If you are trying to escape, you want to open and close things. Forcefully without fumbling.
- Be unpredictable. Routine makes you a target. Mix up times, routes, destinations, the wrap you order at lunch (for varieties sake, if nothing else). Everything.
- Be confident. If you walk with a sense of purpose, head up, shoulders back, stridently, you are less likely to be considered an easy target.
- Exercising is healthy. Getting attacked while doing so, less so. Use one ear bud, this way you have your beats banging and you’re tuned into what is happening around you too.
- Your email will find you wherever you are. Let it find you when you are no longer in your car. Don’t text, don’t doom scroll at the red light, don’t just quickly send a VN, don’t read that email in the parking lot. These are all distractions. And distractions make you a mark.
- You probably do this one automatically, it would have been part of your original beyond the womb onboarding. But here’s a focused reminder: Know where your exits are. Keep an eye on them, or stay close to them. Don’t get put in a corner.
- If you feel uncomfortable due to someone’s behaviour, don’t go home, go directly into a crowd of as many people as you can find. The answer is always more people. Who knew.
- Keep your friends in the loop re plans, destinations, timing. Share your live location, your Uber ride status, or add them as Life360 connections. Whatever it takes, but make sure people know your movements, especially when heading out on first dates and late afternoon runs. One of these is not like the other.
- Arriving home, day or night? Scan your area. The road, the driveway, the garden, the everything. Have your exit strategy loaded in your brain, keys in hand. And if something gives you the ick, drive around the block, call us and we’ll escort you to your front door.
- If someone comes knocking that is already a red flag. Unexpected house calls in this economy? I think emphatically not. That said, whether you are waiting for some service delivery or other or not, make sure you get ID and employment confirmation before welcoming (begrudgingly) them into your home.
- Know thy neighbours. Build some trust and communicate with them, especially if you are going away. You never know when you may need some random assistance or milk, so keep those channels open and friendly.
- Far be it from us to suggest yet another WhatsApp group *shudders for all of us* but you know what, keeping abreast of neighbourhood activity and safety concerns is good actually. So get that community forum/neighbourhood watch number.
- Keep your cell phone charged. Especially at night. Please.
Bonus point:
- Save emergency contacts into your phone under a speed dial option – save our number there too, because you can call it In Case of Anything. Remember to add your Medical ID (this is your ‘in case of emergency’ information, accessible by emergency services, in the event you are incapacitated).
FYI: Our panic buttons are also pretty elite, but make sure you know how to activate it. The way we see it, women epitomise all the things that sum up who we are and what we do. You’re protective. So are we. Sometimes even overprotective. Bestie, same. You are fearless, fierce and sometimes furious. Us too. You are brave and you make good choices in a crisis – which is why you have our number saved under emergency contacts already. But just in case… here you go: 086 162 7732. We hope you never need it.
