Mission Statement

At RISE Against Domestic Violence SA, our mission is to provide free, accessible support to survivors through online services including legal guidance, volunteer one-on-one sessions, and peer support groups. We create safe spaces where survivors can access the resources they need to heal, rebuild, and reclaim their lives, regardless of gender, background, or financial circumstances.

Core Values

  • Empathy We listen with compassion and stand with survivors on their journey toward healing and empowerment.

  • Inclusivity We support all individuals, regardless of gender, orientation, or background, fostering a safe and welcoming environment.

  • Integrity We uphold transparency, accountability, and strong ethics in all our services and outreach.

  • Resilience We encourage strength and perseverance, knowing that a brighter future is always within reach.

  • Empowerment We provide survivors with the tools, resources, and confidence needed to rebuild their lives.

Legal Advice and Support

At Rise Against Domestic Violence, we are committed to offering accurate, compassionate legal advice to individuals who do not have legal representation. We do not represent survivors in court, and we respect all professional boundaries by not intervening if you already have a lawyer. Our services focus on assisting survivors who have no access to legal advice.

We provide guidance and support across a range of areas, including:

  • Divorce matters

  • Domestic violence and GBV cases

  • Protection orders

  • Criminal matters, including assault

  • Assistance with SAPS cases

Support Groups and Information Access

We facilitate dedicated support groups via WhatsApp for survivors seeking legal guidance, as well as groups specifically for women and men. Through these groups, survivors gain direct access to practical information, resources, and a community of support.

Counselling Sessions with Volunteers and Interns

We ensure survivors have access to both outsourced and in-house online volunteer one-on-one sessions. In partnership with trusted professionals, we help individuals work through trauma, build coping strategies, and move forward toward recovery.

Zenda-Lee Williams, Founder

Life doesn’t always go the way we planned. Sometimes it hits hard, out of nowhere, and leaves you trying to hold everything together while quietly falling apart. If that’s where you are right now, you’re not alone.

My name is Zenda-Lee Williams. I’m the founder of RISE Against Domestic Violence SA, but before anything else, I’m a survivor. I’ve lived through domestic violence, narcissistic abuse, sexual assault, and cyber abuse, including revenge pornography and hacking. I know what it feels like when your life no longer feels like your own. I know how isolating it gets, and how hard it is to believe things will ever feel safe again.

But it can. Not overnight, not easily, but it is possible. That’s why RISE exists. To remind you that there is still a way forward, even when you can’t see it yet. Your story doesn’t end here, no matter how heavy this moment feels.

You can do this.

With love, Zen and The Rise Team