Compliments of the new season from the Violence Prevention Forum

The VPF extends compliments of the new season to all colleagues, collaborators and friends! We hope you have enjoyed the festive season.

As we enter the new year, we reflect on 10 years of the Violence Prevention Forum. Through the years we have built relationships on trust, collaborated across sectors and generated, as well as exchanged, knowledge. The Local Forum, Provincial and National VPF have all grown in participation and in strides towards brokering knowledge in the prevention of violence. We look forward to a year ahead where we can continue to work together steeped in the values of the VPF; respect, empathy, deep democracy, active listening, commitment & courage, collaboration & partnership and fun.

As we step into the new year, we hope that each of us maintain our eagerness for collective sensemaking, intergenerational dialogue and continuous reflection along the way.

We are eager to take yet another elegant, minimal step towards preventing violence - together

You’re Invited! Interactive Workshop: How To Use Social Media Listening Tools To Promote Online Child Safety

Tales of Turning has launched a new initiative to prevent online violence against children. The program is designed to bring teachers, parents, children and community-based organisations together from across South Africa to form networks of digital clubs who use innovations to prevent violence against children.  Join Tales of Turning in this workshop on how to use social media listening tools to promote child online safety. In this practical session, participants will collectively find social media keywords will develop research questions. Please come ready to participate in breakout room discussions.

This event will take place online via Zoom on Wednesday the 22^nd January at 10h00 (SAST).

Resource: First South African National Gender-Based Violence Study - A baseline survey on victimisation and perppetration

You’re Invited! Seeds of Possibility: Understanding Alternative Justice Practices in Gender-Based Violence (GBV) Prevention and Response

The Western University Centre for Research and Education on Violence Against Women & Children invites you to a two-day online forum. This Virtual Forum will provide an opportunity to learn more about alternative justice practices within the context of GBV work in Canada. Diverse speakers will focus on the history and core principles of alternative justice practices and share the strategies, challenges and opportunities for advancing them within the GBV sector and movement. Speakers also will highlight existing and emerging alternative justice models to GBV that centre Indigenous, Black and racialized communities, offering practical tools and approaches that can be integrated into your everyday work supporting survivors, communities, and those who have done harm. 

Individuals supporting those who experience GBV and working with those who have done harm will benefit from this Forum. Participants will also receive a Certificate of Participation for their Professional Development Portfolio. 

This event will take place on the 4^th and 5^th of February, 2025.

Call for Papers: Family violence prevention

BMC Public Health is calling for submissions to their Collection on family violence prevention. The Collection seeks to advance the understanding and prevention of family violence through evidence-based research, interventions, policies, and practices. BMC Public Health welcomes contributions from local, state, national, and global perspectives that explore the intricate dynamics of family violence and promote effective prevention and intervention strategies. Additionally, the evaluation and measurement of prevention programmes is welcomed.

The deadline for submissions is the 2^nd of May 2025.