​"To me, self-love means loving my inner self and knowing when to end an abusive marriage".
That's according to 52-year-old Elizabeth Lehabe a former businesswoman and         local gender-based-violence (GBV) survivor who gave her testimony on her emotional abuse by her husband in their 25 years of marriage.
Speaking during Gender Based Violence awareness campaign at Evangelist Church in New Eersterust, Lehabe said, "Leaving my marriage years ago, was not the end, but it was the beginning of a new chapter in my life. Today I'm a life coach because I survived abuse and met with Social Workers who helped me break my silence by speaking out".
Addressing the same gathering, Temba Police Station, Constable Baloyi said emotional abuse triggers most abuses hence, today, "We are here to encourage residents to report crime so that even victims can also get help rather than to address matters as a family which is a normal occurrence".
The Gender Based Violence awareness event was organized as part of 10 years celebration of Mandela Day. It started with a 2km awareness march at Evangelist Church in New Eersterust, Tshwane.
According to Gauteng Research Report on Gender Links for Equality and Justice, over half the women of Gauteng (51.3%) have experienced some form of violence which could be emotional, economic, physical, or sexual, in their lifetime. About 75.5% of men in the province admit to perpetrating some form of violence against women. GBV is mostly based and defined around women. 
The Gauteng Department of Social Development's Victim Empowerment Programme Unit, Portia Serote, reminded the community of New Eersterust that gender-based violence is not just about women but rather men, women, children, and members of the LGBTQ+ community.
In addition, Madingoadi Phasha, Probation and Substance abuse Social Worker, said that substance abuse is a contributing factor to GBV, be it alcohol or illicit drugs, which brings out rage in mostly who then lash out in the form of physical abuse.