South African Women Turn to Firearms and Self-Defense Training Amid Violence Crisis

Women across South Africa are enrolling in firearms training and martial arts classes to protect themselves as the country faces one of the world's highest rates of gender-based violence. The government recently declared violence against women a national disaster, with statistics showing approximately 15 women are killed daily due to gender violence.

BRONKHORSTSPRUIT, South Africa (AP) — Under the guidance of their female instructor, a group of women and girls fire their 9mm handguns at targets during weapons training at a shooting facility in the farming community of Bronkhorstspruit, located near South Africa’s capital city of Pretoria.

These participants, ranging in age from 13 to 65 years old, are seeking methods to defend themselves in a nation where violence against women has become such a severe issue that officials declared it a national emergency this past November.

“Check your grip, check your line of sight,” calls out Claire van der Westhuizen, the primary female trainer at Lone Operator shooting facility, as the women with polished fingernails prepare for another shooting round.

This specialized training program caters exclusively to women and includes practice sessions that simulate real-life defensive situations, including firing techniques while positioned on the ground.

According to U.N. Women, the United Nations organization focused on gender equality, South Africa records some of the world’s most alarming femicide statistics. Research conducted in South Africa during 2022 revealed that more than 35% of women over 18 had encountered physical or sexual assault during their lifetime, with intimate partners being the most common perpetrators.

Sunette du Toit, a 51-year-old working grandmother, decided to pursue weapons training following a terrifying home break-in where five intruders restrained her and burglarized her residence, she explained to The Associated Press.

“I was not in a position to defend myself at that point,” du Toit said. “I had to do this (firearm training) for myself to gain my confidence back to be able to move in public, and even in my own house, without feeling vulnerable.”

She described the women’s weapons training community as “a family of support.”

Gun ownership in South Africa faces strict government oversight. Individuals seeking firearms for personal protection must be at least 21 years old and successfully complete competency examinations and criminal history screenings.

Self-protection training programs for women are emerging across the nation.

In Johannesburg, South Africa’s most populous city, 33-year-old Tatiana Leyka began studying jiujitsu martial arts for personal defense, fully understanding her country’s dangerous reputation.

“I think it’s a No. 1 priority,” she said at the end of a Saturday morning class that included escaping chokeholds, avoiding being trapped against walls and other moves to help women flee attacks by men. “With the rise in numbers of gender-based violence, it’s good for you to be able to defend yourself, even if it’s just to be able to get away.”

U.N. Women reports that South Africa’s female murder rates exceed global averages by five to six times.

Mpiwa Mangwiro-Tsanga, who handles policy creation and advocacy at Sonke Gender Justice, a women’s rights organization, stated that data indicates roughly 15 women lose their lives daily in South Africa because of gender-related violence. One out of every three women has experienced sexual assault or harassment.

“That is how bad it is,” she said. “We are competing with conflict countries.”

South African President Cyril Ramaphosa’s decision to classify violence against women and girls as a national emergency followed years of demands from women’s advocacy organizations. These groups point to economic disparity, deeply rooted male-dominated social structures, and inadequately funded law enforcement as contributing elements.

“It is a shame that our country has the dubious distinction of having one of the world’s highest levels of violence against women and girls,” Ramaphosa said in a statement announcing “national action.”

While this declaration allows officials to allocate resources toward addressing the problem, activists highlight decades of elevated gender violence statistics and a national strategic framework introduced six years ago that has failed to resolve issues as proof of a gap between policy creation and actual execution.

The shortage of women’s shelters and other safe havens demonstrates that South Africa’s policies have appeared forward-thinking in documentation but have been inadequately executed, Mangwiro-Tsanga explained.

“The reality here in South Africa is that a man who raped a woman will be arrested, go to prison. The state will spend more on that rapist than it will spend on the survivor of that rape,” she said.

South Africa maintains extremely low conviction rates for sexual assault cases, with approximately 8% of those reported in 2021 leading to convictions. Many cases were dismissed from the legal system, while the majority were never brought to trial, according to Amnesty International.

Even with promises from government officials of renewed efforts, South African women are pursuing their own protective measures, sometimes keeping their training hidden from spouses and boyfriends.

Michael Palin, who manages a jiujitsu training facility, noted that not all participants’ partners are aware they attend classes. Some women claim they are visiting the shopping mall located in front of the gym.

Marguerite Hershensohn, a 49-year-old beauty therapist, participates in firearms classes alongside her 21-year-old daughter, Nika. Hershensohn expressed gratitude that her daughter is acquiring gun defense skills rather than depending solely on police protection.

“Yes, we have to respect those authorities,” she said. “But they’re not always around.”

The women participating in the training “don’t look like G.I. Jane,” Hershensohn said. “We just look like normal women.”

However, Mangwiro-Tsanga cautioned that the trend of women turning to firearms or martial arts when society fails to safeguard them can also create problems. Rather than addressing the perpetrators, “it burdens women and girls who are already burdened,” she said.

Stephanie Graham, who teaches the jiujitsu classes, acknowledged that while many women in her program develop greater confidence, there is no assurance they will consistently be able to protect themselves.

“We can only hope that it’ll give us more confidence and heightened awareness so that we can perceive a threat a little bit earlier than the average person would,” Graham said.