[ 25 ] In 2022, Davis, Kuhudzai and Dalal published the research report on private sector opinions and attitudes towards addressing GBV as an issue that affected employees. This research is ongoing, and a gender equality workbook has since been published in collaboration with Shared Value Africa Initiative and ShiftImpact to address gender inequality as a key driver of GBV. The message for academics, in particular, is clear as far as the urgency for further research collaboration from multiple disciplines in collaboration with other national and international tertiary institutions. At present, four doctoral studies on genderbased violence and gender identity are done at the Department of Strategic Communication. Prof Davis is participating in an international intimate partner violence (IPV) study in collaboration with the University of Western in Canada, a study on the role of the private sector in Kenya, a GBV research project in the SADAC countries, as well as a national study on victim profiling in collaboration with TEARS Foundation. However, in spite of all these projects under way, the fundamental problem remains to be the lack of funding. At present, most GBV support work is still done by non-government organisations that are in dire need of support. The key factor in this lack of support and funding remains the stigma and silence that envelop GBV and that prevent people from seeing the real picture and the impact of GBV on all stakeholders in society. GBV is one of the greatest challenges in South Africa, which has been dubbed as the rape capital of the world. Our statistics for IPV is six times higher than the global average. It is time for academics and transformation to increase support, education and intervention in this issue, because if we are not part of the solution, we are part of the problem. GBV is one of the greatest challenges in South Africa, which has been dubbed as the rape capital of the world. [ UJ TRANSFORMATION UNIT n APRIL 2024 ]
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