About us

The Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) operates under The Department of Social Development. The Centre operates a National, 24hr/7days-a-week Call Centre facility. The facility employs social workers who are responsible for call-taking and call referrals. The Centre operates an Emergency Line number – 0800 428 428. This is supported by a USSD, “please call me” facility: *120*7867#. A Skype Line ‘Helpme GBV’ for members of the deaf community also exists. (Add ‘Helpme GBV’ to your Skype contacts). An SMS Based Line 31531 for persons with disabilities (SMS ‘help’ to 31531) also exists. The Centre is able to refer calls directly to SAPS (10111) and field Social Workers who respond to victims of GBV.

The Centre employs 48 Social Work Agents, 8 Social Work Supervisors, 4 Quality Assurers and 1 Centre Manager, to operate and offer services to victims of Gender Based Violence.
As support to the GBVCC telephonic trauma counselling, the Department of Social Development has conceived and launched a National Emergency Response Team (NERT) to pilot a national rapid response approach to provision of psychosocial services following incidents of trauma. Provincial DSD takes over after the initial three-day rapid response.

The Command Centre receives calls in a variety of cases, including the following types:

GBV Cases:

Domestic Violence, Rape, Physical Abuse, Indecent Assault, Verbal Abuse/ Intimidation and Abandoned Children, Stalking, Economic Abuse, Emotional Abuse, Sexual Harassment, Forced Marriages, Forced Prostitution, Forced Abortion, Human Trafficking, Exploitation of Domestic Workers, Abuse of Elderly, Incest and violence against foreign nationals.

Non-GBV cases:

Matric related queries, SASSA grant, substance abuse, and request for information, adoption, family disputes, home affairs related queries and child custody.