Lesotho: Strengthening GBV Safe Spaces
Gender Links, in collaboration with the Lesotho Mounted Police Service (LMPS), Child and Gender Protection Unit (CGPU) and the Ministry of Gender, convened a workshop at Sesotho Media and Development to reflect on the role of GBV safe spaces in protecting, supporting, and empowering survivors of Gender-Based Violence in Lesotho.
Gender-Based Violence continues to undermine the safety, dignity, and rights of women, girls, and other marginalized groups. Beyond physical harm, GBV leaves lasting psychological scars, reinforces inequality, and deepens stigma and social isolation. The workshop highlighted safe spaces as a critical response to this ongoing crisis.
GBV safe spaces are confidential and supportive environments where survivors can seek help without fear of judgement or exposure. These spaces prioritize privacy, safety, empathy, non-discrimination, and informed consent, allowing survivors to disclose their experiences at their own pace and regain a sense of control over their lives.
Participants emphasized that safe spaces encourage disclosure, connect survivors to medical and psychosocial services, support trauma healing, and restore hope. Importantly, they balance protection with participation, giving survivors the freedom to choose the services and activities they wish to access, including anonymous support options.
The workshop also explored how safe spaces apply a survivor-centred approach by integrating services such as psychological support, legal counselling, and group or individual therapy. This approach reduces re-traumatization by limiting repeated storytelling and focusing on survivors’ strengths, resilience, and long-term recovery.
Special attention was given to child-sensitive and trauma-informed environments. Children are supported in private, safe, and friendly spaces where they are empowered through choice and never pressured to disclose. Trauma-informed practices ensure that survivors are listened to with respect, allowed to skip questions, and supported without being forced to report or take action.
