The Department of Social Development’s Gender-Based Violence Command Centre (GBVCC) – a 24-hour call centre dedicated to providing support and counselling to victims of gender based violence – is in the running for the Global Best Contact Centre Award.
The GBVCC, which was launched by Minister Bathabile Dlamini in March 2014, has already been recognised locally and in the continent for its innovative approach and excellence in fighting gender-based violence.
It has won two highly acclaimed service awards in the Innovation Award in the Contact Centre Management Group (CCMG) awards, and the Changing Lives Award in the Africom Awards. The GBVCC also participated and competed with Africa, Asia and Europe in the Technological Innovation Awards in London and won the golden award.
A team from the department is now on its way to Las Vegas, United States of America, for the Global Best Contact Centre Awards and is hoping to come back with the top prize.
Since inception, the GBVCC has taken more than 24 046 calls and received more than 22 683 ‘please call me’ messages from distraught members of the public who need help in one way or another.
The toll free number to call to speak to a social worker for assistance and counselling is 0800 428 428 (0800 GBV GBV). Callers can also request a social worker from the Command Centre to contact them by dialling *120*7867# (free) from any cell phone.
The Command Centre has attended to a variety emergency situations including indecent assault, physical violence, rape, abandoned children and verbal abuse. It has also attended to cases of stalking, emotional abuse, sexual harassment, forced marriages, forced prostitution, elderly citizen abuse, bullying and has even intervened in family disputes, to name a few.
The success of the GBVCC can be attributed to the fact that it is a comprehensive, integrated system that provides immediate, consistent, coordinated and timely support to victims of gender-based violence.
It uses mobile technology to estimate the location of a victim, assign the closest social worker in the field to the case, and record and receive continuous feedback on the case. The Centre is also staffed by trained social workers/command centre agents who provide immediate counselling to victims and help them to avoid or minimise further exposure to gender-based violence.
When a caller contacts the GBVCC from a mobile phone, they are (with explicit permission) geographically located, enabling the Centre to determine the resources nearest to the caller, whether it be a social worker, a police station, a hospital or safe house. In this way, help is dispatched in quick fashion.
Additional functionality available on a real time basis includes strategic reporting which highlights trends in specific locations or types of violence occurring, as well as an indication of demand for social workers, or any other service, in a specific area.
The GBVCC emanated from the work of the Inter-Ministerial Committee (IMC) on the Root Causes of Violence Against Women and Children – chaired by Minister Dlamini.
The IMC was established by President Jacob Zuma in May 2012 to reinforce political leadership and accountability in the national prevention and response to the rising figures of sexual violence in our country.
The membership of the IMC comprises of the Ministers of Justice and Constitutional Development; Women, Children and People with Disabilities; Home Affairs; Police and Basic Education. Through the GBVCC, the work of this Committee is certainly contributing towards the improvement of the country response to and prevention of sexual violence.
The Global Best Contact Centre Awards take place between 2 and 5 November, with the recipient of Best Contact Centre in the World Award expected to be announced on November 5.
Media inquiries:
Lumka Oliphant
Cell: 083 484 8067
E-mail: lumkao@dsd.gov.za
