Seeing a lot of 💜💜💜💜 across social media? In recent days, social feeds across South Africa and beyond have turned purple - profile pictures, stories and messages of solidarity flooding timelines. This digital wave is more than a colour change. It’s a powerful, collective call to action against gender-based violence (GBV), reminding us that while online unity matters, the movement demands real change beyond our screens.
If you're wondering what it's all about, here's what you need to know.
The purple profile campaign originates from a movement led by the organisation Women for Change. Purple has historically been associated with women's rights movements. Here, it symbolises solidarity, visibility, and remembrance, particularly in relation to GBV, which remains one of South Africa’s most urgent social challenges.
The purple profile movement is a symbol of support and a visual call to honour the women who have suffered under gender based violence in South Africa. It has rapidly spread from a national campaign to a pan African act of resistance, with support from countries like Ghana, Botswana, Kenya and Nigeria.
The campaign urges South Africans and supporters across Africa and the world to show visible solidarity and call for GBV and femicide to be declared a National Disaster. This digital action has emerged alongside a petition which recently surpassed one million signatures.
This wave of purple is aimed at putting pressure on the South African government to declare GBV and femicide a national disaster. The movement coincides with the upcoming G20 Summit, being hosted in Cape Town in November, making it a golden opportunity for South Africans to grab the world's attention.
According to the Public Safety and Justice Survey, most GBV incidents are committed by someone known to the victim with domestic violence accounting for much of the horror. Femicide rates in South Africa are five times the global average. For years, statistics have emerged, protests have been organised, and yet the cycle of violence continues.
15 women are murdered every day in South Africa as a result of gender-based violence and femicide, the equivalent of a woman being killed every two and a half hours. The country’s femicide rate is six times higher than the global average. Almost 40% of South African women have endured physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Yet the majority of cases never reach the system: although 117 rape cases are reported each day, an estimated 95% of survivors never report the crime. In a single year, 5578 women were murdered, a 33.8% increase from the previous year.
Why? A lack of systemic change. A lack of national urgency. A failure to prioritise the safety of women and girls. It is why the petition aims to gain more than signatures. It is calling for real political pressure and national intervention.
To declare gender based violence a National Disaster would mean recognising its scale and urgency. It would direct funding, resources, and national attention to prevention, policing, support systems and justice.
The colour purple, long associated with women’s rights and liberation movements, has become the colour of grief, unity and protest. It is the colour behind a historic petition calling for gender based violence to be declared a National Disaster in South Africa. This week, that petition reached over one million signatures.
But the real movement comes to life on Friday, 21 November at 12pm, when people across the country will gather for a silent nationwide lie down to honour the 15 women murdered every day
in South Africa. The Women For Change organisation has called for communities to dress in black and lie down in silence for 15 minutes. Each minute represents one life lost. It is a peaceful protest. No violence. No confrontation.
We are reminded that activism is not performative. It is a demand for accountability. The protest is aimed to highlight the human cost of GBV and demand more than awareness: structure, funding, policy shifts, and urgent intervention.This moment is one of unity, grief, and resistance. It is not just a protest but a peaceful declaration of strength. The message is clear. Enough is enough. Participants were also invited to join public gathering points, host small groups, or participate alone wherever and in whichever way they can.
Gender-based violence in South Africa is not a crisis. It is a national disaster. Women are not safe in their own homes, at work, on the streets, or even at school. This reality highlights a deep systemic failure and demand for urgent action.
While government initiatives exist on paper, activists argue they lack impact. The people have spoken loud and clear. In a single week, the online petition gained more than one million signatures calling for change. Yet, symbolic gestures alone are not enough.
Changing your profile picture is one part of the movement. But to create real, lasting change, we need active participation. Here’s how you can take meaningful steps:
Join a national meeting point or simply lie down wherever you are at 12 pm on 21 November. The action is symbolic, but your presence matters. You do not need a crowd. One silent lie-down at your office desk, at the bus stop, or at school is still a protest.
Social media is quick, but it is not deep. If you want to truly understand GBV, read articles, legal reports, and personal stories. Visit @womenforchangesa on Instagram to stay informed and get factual updates.
Women's rights organisations have mobilised legal petitions calling for GBV to be declared a national disaster. Signing helps amplify the urgency. Sharing encourages others to take action.
Donate to women’s shelters and organisations that offer counselling and legal support to survivors. Resources are always a challenge, and even small contributions can change someone’s life.
If you witness abuse or are aware of someone experiencing it, do not turn away. Report it. Support them. Silence protects the abuser, not the victim.
Brands and public figures are posting purple squares too. But are they investing in the fight against GBV? Hold them accountable. Demand transparency, action, and contribution beyond marketing.
Use your voice. Whether it’s over dinner tables, group chats, or workplace meetings, keep the conversation alive. The more we talk, the harder it becomes to ignore.
Ask how they're feeling. Ask what they need. Healing and resistance start with community.
People Have Influence SAYS HELL NO to Gender Based Violence! We stand in solidarity, together with Women For Change. Therefore on Friday 21st November, P.H.I. will not be operating - no client calls, no creator communication, nothing but reflection and action regarding this important movement. Gender-based violence in South Africa is a national crisis and it needs more than awareness, it needs action.
Enough Is Not Enough Until There Is Change
The shift to purple is powerful, yes. But it is only the beginning. This is a moment to push beyond visual solidarity and into collective action. To do more than share a story. To do more than post a heart. To demand safety, justice and dignity for every woman and girl in South Africa.
This movement is a reminder: we have the power to force change, but only if we show up and stay there.
Resources:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
Seeing a lot of 💜💜💜💜 across social media? In recent days, social feeds across South Africa and beyond have turned purple - profile pictures, stories and messages of solidarity flooding timelines. This digital wave is more than a colour change. It’s a powerful, collective call to action against gender-based violence (GBV), reminding us that while online unity matters, the movement demands real change beyond our screens.
If you're wondering what it's all about, here's what you need to know.
The purple profile campaign originates from a movement led by the organisation Women for Change. Purple has historically been associated with women's rights movements. Here, it symbolises solidarity, visibility, and remembrance, particularly in relation to GBV, which remains one of South Africa’s most urgent social challenges.
The purple profile movement is a symbol of support and a visual call to honour the women who have suffered under gender based violence in South Africa. It has rapidly spread from a national campaign to a pan African act of resistance, with support from countries like Ghana, Botswana, Kenya and Nigeria.
The campaign urges South Africans and supporters across Africa and the world to show visible solidarity and call for GBV and femicide to be declared a National Disaster. This digital action has emerged alongside a petition which recently surpassed one million signatures.
This wave of purple is aimed at putting pressure on the South African government to declare GBV and femicide a national disaster. The movement coincides with the upcoming G20 Summit, being hosted in Cape Town in November, making it a golden opportunity for South Africans to grab the world's attention.
According to the Public Safety and Justice Survey, most GBV incidents are committed by someone known to the victim with domestic violence accounting for much of the horror. Femicide rates in South Africa are five times the global average. For years, statistics have emerged, protests have been organised, and yet the cycle of violence continues.
15 women are murdered every day in South Africa as a result of gender-based violence and femicide, the equivalent of a woman being killed every two and a half hours. The country’s femicide rate is six times higher than the global average. Almost 40% of South African women have endured physical or sexual violence in their lifetime. Yet the majority of cases never reach the system: although 117 rape cases are reported each day, an estimated 95% of survivors never report the crime. In a single year, 5578 women were murdered, a 33.8% increase from the previous year.
Why? A lack of systemic change. A lack of national urgency. A failure to prioritise the safety of women and girls. It is why the petition aims to gain more than signatures. It is calling for real political pressure and national intervention.
To declare gender based violence a National Disaster would mean recognising its scale and urgency. It would direct funding, resources, and national attention to prevention, policing, support systems and justice.
The colour purple, long associated with women’s rights and liberation movements, has become the colour of grief, unity and protest. It is the colour behind a historic petition calling for gender based violence to be declared a National Disaster in South Africa. This week, that petition reached over one million signatures.
But the real movement comes to life on Friday, 21 November at 12pm, when people across the country will gather for a silent nationwide lie down to honour the 15 women murdered every day
in South Africa. The Women For Change organisation has called for communities to dress in black and lie down in silence for 15 minutes. Each minute represents one life lost. It is a peaceful protest. No violence. No confrontation.
We are reminded that activism is not performative. It is a demand for accountability. The protest is aimed to highlight the human cost of GBV and demand more than awareness: structure, funding, policy shifts, and urgent intervention.This moment is one of unity, grief, and resistance. It is not just a protest but a peaceful declaration of strength. The message is clear. Enough is enough. Participants were also invited to join public gathering points, host small groups, or participate alone wherever and in whichever way they can.
Gender-based violence in South Africa is not a crisis. It is a national disaster. Women are not safe in their own homes, at work, on the streets, or even at school. This reality highlights a deep systemic failure and demand for urgent action.
While government initiatives exist on paper, activists argue they lack impact. The people have spoken loud and clear. In a single week, the online petition gained more than one million signatures calling for change. Yet, symbolic gestures alone are not enough.
Changing your profile picture is one part of the movement. But to create real, lasting change, we need active participation. Here’s how you can take meaningful steps:
Join a national meeting point or simply lie down wherever you are at 12 pm on 21 November. The action is symbolic, but your presence matters. You do not need a crowd. One silent lie-down at your office desk, at the bus stop, or at school is still a protest.
Social media is quick, but it is not deep. If you want to truly understand GBV, read articles, legal reports, and personal stories. Visit @womenforchangesa on Instagram to stay informed and get factual updates.
Women's rights organisations have mobilised legal petitions calling for GBV to be declared a national disaster. Signing helps amplify the urgency. Sharing encourages others to take action.
Donate to women’s shelters and organisations that offer counselling and legal support to survivors. Resources are always a challenge, and even small contributions can change someone’s life.
If you witness abuse or are aware of someone experiencing it, do not turn away. Report it. Support them. Silence protects the abuser, not the victim.
Brands and public figures are posting purple squares too. But are they investing in the fight against GBV? Hold them accountable. Demand transparency, action, and contribution beyond marketing.
Use your voice. Whether it’s over dinner tables, group chats, or workplace meetings, keep the conversation alive. The more we talk, the harder it becomes to ignore.
Ask how they're feeling. Ask what they need. Healing and resistance start with community.
People Have Influence SAYS HELL NO to Gender Based Violence! We stand in solidarity, together with Women For Change. Therefore on Friday 21st November, P.H.I. will not be operating - no client calls, no creator communication, nothing but reflection and action regarding this important movement. Gender-based violence in South Africa is a national crisis and it needs more than awareness, it needs action.
Enough Is Not Enough Until There Is Change
The shift to purple is powerful, yes. But it is only the beginning. This is a moment to push beyond visual solidarity and into collective action. To do more than share a story. To do more than post a heart. To demand safety, justice and dignity for every woman and girl in South Africa.
This movement is a reminder: we have the power to force change, but only if we show up and stay there.
Resources:
https://www.who.int/news-room/fact-sheets/detail/violence-against-women
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