Forum for the Empowerment of Women

Hate Crime Response

FEW acts as a first responder for LGBTIQA+ persons who experience violence and discrimination. This is not a passive advocacy role — it is an active response function. When a hate crime occurs, FEW:

• Assists the survivor in reporting the incident to police (overcoming the well-documented barriers that LGBTIQA+ survivors face in approaching law enforcement)
• Provides navigation support through the criminal justice system — court preparation, case tracking, and understanding of rights
• Offers court support and monitoring — accompanying survivors, ensuring that their cases are handled appropriately, and monitoring for discriminatory treatment
• Raises public awareness about LGBTIQA+ hate crimes, directing that awareness toward service providers (police, healthcare, social services) as well as the broader public

The Report an Incident function on the FEW website (few-sa.org.za/report-an-incident) allows incidents to be submitted online at any time — an important alternative access point for survivors who are not ready to make a call or approach an office.

Criminal Justice System Training

FEW trains police officers, prosecutors, social workers, healthcare providers, and other key actors within the criminal justice system in how to appropriately, respectfully, and effectively respond to LGBTIQA+ hate crimes and GBV cases. This work is systemic rather than individual — it aims to change the institutional environment that survivors enter when they seek justice, making it safer and more competent for LBQ women and other LGBTIQA+ persons.

Gender Based Violence and Femicide Training

FEW's GBVF training programme addresses gender-based violence and femicide from an intersectional LBQ lens — equipping communities, organisations, and service providers with the analysis, language, and skills needed to recognise and respond to GBV as it is specifically experienced by black LBQ women.

SOGIESSC Training and Advocacy

Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity and Expression, and Sex Characteristics (SOGIESSC) training builds understanding of SOGIE rights among communities, NGOs, state actors, and the public. This training addresses the foundational ignorance and prejudice that enables hate crimes and discrimination against LGBTIQA+ persons in the first place.

Pride Advocacy Training and Soweto Pride

FEW organises and participates in Soweto Pride — one of South Africa's most significant Pride events, celebrating black LBQ identity and visibility in one of Johannesburg's most densely populated township communities. The organisation's Pride Advocacy Training builds community members' capacity for rights advocacy and self-representation in public spaces and policy processes.

Fridays at FEW

Fridays at FEW is a regular community gathering space for black LBQ women — a consistent, trusted community touchpoint where women can come together, connect with peers, access information, and find support in a space that is genuinely safe for them.

Mission and Vision

FEW's vision is to empower, support, and advocate for the holistic rights of black LBQ women. Its mission is to promote diverse black LBQ identity, raise awareness of black LBQ women's rights, work within broader human rights movements, and build alliances across the African region. Its tagline — "Defending Women. Advancing Rights. Making Change." — captures both the urgency of the work and its systemic ambition.

Relevance to GBV Survivors

For black LBQ women in Johannesburg — and for LGBTIQA+ persons anywhere in South Africa seeking guidance after a hate crime — FEW is one of the only organisations in the country offering specialised first-response, criminal justice navigation, and training specifically calibrated to LGBTIQA+ hate crime and GBV. For organisations serving LGBTIQA+ survivors, FEW is an essential referral partner, training resource, and advocacy ally.

Forum for the Empowerment of Women (FEW): 3/5A Eton Road, Parktown, The Coach House, Johannesburg, 2193. Phone: 087 148 1222. Email: info@few-sa.org.za. Website: few-sa.org.za. Report an incident: few-sa.org.za/report-an-incident. Founded 2002.