Marvan Signs

Day 13: Legal Protections
South African law protects victims of digital abuse. You have the right to take legal action.

🔍 Myth: There’s nothing you can do legally.
✅ Reality: Legal remedies exist – and they are growing.
🛠️ What to Do:
• Learn about the Cybercrimes Act and Protection from Harassment Act.
• Report abuse to SAPS and Epic Foundation.
• Keep records of all digital interactions.
• Know your rights—knowledge is power.
🔗 Learn more: SA Gov: Cybercrimes Act 19 of 2020 South African Government /
Article of interest: Stephen Bear, a former Celebrity Big Brother winner, was convicted in March 2023 of voyeurism and disclosing private sexual images with intent to cause distress after secretly filming Georgia Harrison and uploading the footage online. He was sentenced to 21 months in prison. Georgia won a civil claim against Bear, securing 207,900 GBP in damages – the highest sum ever awarded in an image-based case in the UK: https://news.sky.com/story/georgia-harrison-wins-record-damages-in-revenge-porn-case-against-jailed-stephen-bear-12928040
💬 Engagement: What legal changes would make survivors feel safer?

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Day 9: Reporting Abuse
Reporting digital abuse helps protect others and builds a case against the abuser. The platforms have tools to report harassment, impersonation, and non-consensual content.

🔍 Myth: Reporting won’t change anything.
✅ Reality: Every report builds a case and helps protect others. It leads to takedowns, bans and legal action.
🛠️ What to Do:
• Save screenshots, messages, and usernames.
• Use platform tools to block and report.
• Seek legal advice if needed.
• Encourage others to report—it creates safer spaces.
🔗 Learn more: ISPA: Report Cybercrime in SA ISPA / Facebook Safety Centre
💬 Engagement: Have you ever reported abuse online? What was the outcome?

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Day 6: Online Grooming

When Manipulation Goes Digital - Grooming is when someone builds trust with a victim to exploit them — often through gaming, social media, or chat apps.

🔍 Myth: Grooming only happens to children.
✅ Reality: Grooming can happen to anyone, at any age.
🛠️ What to Do:
• Educate yourself and your children about online boundaries.
• Monitor interactions in games and chat platforms.
• Report suspicious behaviour immediately.
🔗 Learn more: Save the Children SA: Grooming Snapshot savethechildren.org.za / Thorn on grooming
💬 Engagement: What signs of grooming should we all learn to spot?

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