Rendering services to victims of Gender-Based Violence through psycho-social support.
Koliswa is a gender-based femicide hotspot social worker employed by the National Institute Community Development and Management together with the National Department of Social Development. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Social Work with honours from Nelson Mandela University. She is one of the 3 social workers in the Western Cape that deals with cases of domestic and gender-based violence (GBV). She is currently situated at Saartjie Baartman centre, a safe home in Athlone, where she provides psychosocial support services to victims of crime and violence within the allocated GBV hotspot areas.
Social work is a very broad field and supports all kinds of people and various ages, from individuals and families to entire communities including the vulnerable. Social workers are trained to provide support in any environment, but there may be a specific field each social worker is more skilled in and passionate about. In Koliswa’s case, it is gender-based violence.
Gender-based violence does not discriminate no matter your racial or ethnic background or gender identity. It affects everyone whether that is indirectly or directly. In this interview, Koliswa shares what her job entails, highlighting that her counseling addresses cases involving ALL genders, including the LGBTQI+ community and males, not just specifically for women and children. She also shares the role that the Department of Social Development Office plays in placement and counseling support services.
The contact information of three social workers based in the Western Cape that deal with cases of gender-based violence:
Koliswa: 063 307 4290 - Mitchell’s Plain
Elethu: 081 506 2641 - Nyanga
Lindiwe: 064 046 0052 - Gugulethu
Toll free number: 0800 428 428
Shelter 1 number: 0800 001 005
Koliswa’s personal number: 082 6377 976
To check out this interview, please click on the link below:
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