The colour purple usually conjures up the image of Jacaranda trees flowering, particularly at this time of year. But this year, things are different.
The purple adorning many profile pictures on social media platforms signals a resounding call for Gender-Based Violence and Femicide GBVF to be declared a National Disaster.
Women and members of the LGBTQI community are being raped, abused, and killed at rates higher than almost anywhere else in the world. In just one year, 5 578 women were murdered a 33.8 increase from the previous year. South Africas femicide is six times higher than the global average.