The Embrace Project

Almost a week ago, on 25 Sept, after a 4 year journey, we appeared before the Con Court to finally argue a landmark case that has the potential of changing the face of GBV in SA. Thank you to our amazing legal team! Judgment can't come soon enough!

On the 21 November 2025, @womenforchange5 and women across the nation will be shutting down South Africa ahead of the G20 summit. The movement calls for urgent action from our government to end GBVF and that it be declared a national disaster. #WomenShutdown

Catch our landmark hearing on the Constitutional Court's YouTube Channel. The livestreaming should begin just before 10am on @theconstitutionalcourtofso8435" target="_blank" rel="nofollow noopener">youtube.com/@theconstituti…

The Constitutional Court will hear a case that could redefine how consent is treated in sexual offences law. Can perpetrators rely on a subjective belief in consent to avoid conviction, even if no consent was given? Embrace Project's Lee-Anne Germanos Manuel elaborates. Watch: tinyurl.com/ujwcjheu #Newzroom405

Don't forget that we're at the Constitutional Court on Thursday! The hearing should also be livestreamed on the Constitutional Court's YouTube Channel from 10am if you're unable to attend in person.

[ON AIR] The Constitutional Court will be hearing a landmark case on Thursday, 25 September 2025, on the constitutionality of the Sexual Offences Act, which will change the way that sexual consent is dealt with, and hopefully improve SA's abysmal GBV rates. Lee-Anne Germanos Manuel - Director and Co-Founder of @embrace_za on #TheMorningBrief with Thulasizwe Simelane #sabcnews

On Thursday, the Constitutional Court hears a landmark case that could redefine South Africa's sexual offences laws. It follows a North Gauteng High Court ruling that struck down parts of the Act, replacing the current subjective consent test with an objective one. This requires accused persons to show they took reasonable steps to establish consent. #eNCA #DStv403 #QuestionThinkAct

The Women's Legal Centre's submissions before the Constitutional Court prompted these submissions from us.👇

As a new-comer to these proceedings, the @WLCCapeTown will present these arguments before the Constitutional Court on 25 September 2025.

The Minister of Justice, Minister of Women & the President have decided not to oppose The Embrace Project's application before the Constitutional Court. On 10 September 2025, the government respondents filed their answering affidavit.

If you're in Joburg on 25 September 2025, please join us at the Con Court. Public is welcome!

The Centre for Human Rights and the Psychological Society of South Africa were admitted as amici curiae (friends of the court) before the High Court, which found their expert submissions on the common behavioural responses of victims during a sexual assault to be invaluable.

The Constitutional Court will be seized with different arguments, on 25 September 2025, on the unconstitutionality of certain provisions of the Sexual Offences Act, and the course of action used to correct it.

On 25 September 2025, after 3 years, the question of whether South Africa's current rape laws violate the constiutional rights of victims will finally be considered by the Constitutional Court.

Over the next few weeks we will be explaining the arguments of each of these parties before the Constitutional Court, and what it is that they are asking for on 25 September 2025.

Watch this space on 25 Sept... If the Con Court finds in our favour, for the first time in SA's history, discussions around what sexual consent is & how to obtain it will take centre place in sex education. The only way to eradicate #gbv is to prevent it. Not just to punish it.

After nearly 3 years since the institution of our application, we will finally be heard before the Constitutional Court of SA on 25 September 2024! The highest court in the country will finally hear why the current definition of rape is a problem for the fight against #gbv