ENDING VIOLENCE AGAINST WOMEN AND GIRLS/ REDUCING AND PREVENTING ALCOHOL & DRUG RELATED HARMS

WHAT WE DO

WE DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO HELP SAVE AND RESTORE LIVES

WHY WE NEED YOUR HELP

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STAND works to reduce alcohol and drug related harms with a special focus on WOMEN and YOUTH in remote regions. We do this by providing education and sensitization training to all Sectors of Government and Civil Society Organizations on practical and effective methods of working with priority population groups; actively advocating for the removal of barriers to treatment for women, by promoting gender centric, non-stigmatizing, access to treatment, healthcare, and support services. Providing direct linkage to non-discriminatory healthcare and socio-economic empowerment opportunities, and the provision of an Early Intervention Trauma Informed Treatment service for Primary and High School learners.

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STIGMA & DISCRIMINATION

Stigma and discrimination in different contexts, as well as individual factors such as socioeconomic status, gender, race, and health status, severely impede key populations’ rights for equitable access to HIV, Sexual Reproductive Health and Comprehensive Healthcare. Policies that legitimize laws that uphold discrimination and stigma are justified in large part by stereotypes.

YOUTH & SUBSTANCES

The younger a child initiates alcohol and other drug use, the higher the risk for serious health consequences and progressed adult substance dependence. In South African schools, drug and alcohol use among students is rapidly rising, challenging the relationships between teachers and students and lowering the standard of instruction.

GENDER BASED VIOLENCE

Gender-based violence (GBV) is a profound and widespread problem in South Africa. Dubbed the “rape capital of the world” by Human Rights Watch, South Africa has some of the highest rates of genderbased violence worldwide, including rape, female homicide, and domestic abuse.

SUBSTANCE AND ALCOHOL USE DEPENDENCE

South Africa has a serious and rapidly increasing drug and alcohol consumption issue; we rank among the top 10 globally for alcohol consumption, and drug use is double the world norm. Factors, such as social, economic, and family decay, ingrained in daily life and are becoming increasingly challenging.

Nobody ever consciously chooses to develop a drug or alcohol addiction. More often than not, it’s an unwelcome response that progresses from a sequence of uncontrollable life events. Please consider supporting our work.

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THESE ARE THE AREAS WHERE STAND TAKES ACTION

SUBSTANCE & ALCOHOL HARMS

Substance and Alcohol Dependence is a national crisis with alcohol consumption and illicit drug consumption in South Africa recorded statistically as being double the world norm. The dire socio-economic climate and increasing drug availability has led to an upsurge in gender based violence and a continual and alarming increase in substance and alcohol misuse.

GBV

South Africa has among the highest rates of intimate partner violence (IPV), and recently released data from Statistics SA shows that rape and sexual violence have become hyperendemic with one woman murdered every 3 hours. Only one in nine rape cases are ever reported.

HUMAN RIGHTS VIOLATIONS

The harmful effects of stigma and discrimination associated with substance and alcohol dependence results in reducing the chances of the individual seeking treatment; affects treatment retention and the individual’s ability to maintain a recovery-oriented lifestyle.

CHILDREN AND YOUTH

Many factors influence a child’s likelihood to use alcohol/illegal substances or develop a substance/alcohol use disorder. This more often leads to problems at school, school dropouts, causes or aggravates physical and mental health-related issues, promotes poor peer relationships, causes accidents and places stress on the family.

HOMELESSNESS

Poverty, homelessness, and social stigma make addiction more deadly, unjust and shines a spotlight on tears in the socioeconomic web that is holding our society together.

FASD

Simple beliefs that women who drink during pregnancy are personally responsible fail to recognize the systemic and social factors that cause women to consume alcohol while pregnant and overlooks the impact of historical and intergenerational abuses experienced by disadvantaged groups.

STIGMA & DISCRIMINATION

Human rights are universal. If the human rights of people who use drugs are not respected, then improving the wellbeing, health, and social inclusion of people who use drugs will be impossible.

THIS IS HOW WE ARE DOING WHATEVER IT TAKES

STAND'S LIFE TRANSFORMING WORK - SPECIAL PROJECTS & PROGRAMS

ADVOCACY & POLICY REFORM

At the intersection of innovative strategy and deep-rooted empathy, STAND’S work addresses the most pressing needs of vulnerable and priority populations –harnessing insights from diverse communities, STAND has served an integral role in paving the way for policy reform and interventions that put people first. STAND is one of the few organisations on a global level that specifically addresses the situation of women in addiction and is a founding member of the WFAD Global Gender Committee. An initiative that directly addresses illicit drug use among women, GBV and its correlation with illicit drug use and access to health care, treatment, recovery services and barriers to treatment for women. Whilst advocating for women’s rights and contributing to the global drug policy debate.

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TARGETED PROJECTS

Women who are drug and alcohol dependent, face increased stigmatization, vulnerability and marginalization, and are more susceptible to contracting HIV than their male counterparts. Engagements by STAND with role-players in rural areas of the Western Cape have emphasized a lack of awareness around reducing alcohol and drug related harms, gender-based violence and basic health care services amongst impoverished women in rural and remote communities. Despite the increased risks women who use drugs and alcohol face, they remain under-represented and highly stigmatized.

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TRAINING & CAPACITATION

STAND provides evidence- and context-based education and capacitation in the fields of Reducing Alcohol and Drug related Harms, Sensitization training across Government and Civil Society Sectors of Health, Law Enforcement and Social Welfare, in addition to GBV (gender-based violence) and Trauma.

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GENDER BASED VIOLENCE & ECONOMIC EMPOWERMENT

South Africa is considered to be the rape capital of the world with 10 818 rape cases reported in the first quarter of 2022. The rate at which women are killed by intimate partners in this country is five times higher than the global average. Violence against women and girls in South Africa is a serious and complex issue requiring urgent action.

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SCHOOL BASED EARLY INTERVENTION

Access to professional and accessible Early Intervention (EI) Treatment programs for primary and high school attending learners is extremely limited in South Africa, with no specialized programs that include a combination of the effectiveness of cognitive–behavioral interventions.

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“No act of kindness, no matter how small, is ever wasted.” Aesop

OUR LEADERS

Stacey holds a Higher Certificate in Counselling & Communication Skills, Level 1 Certificate in Equine Assisted Psychotherapy, and a Financial Law School Certificate. With 25 years of diverse experience in driving market leadership, progressive growth, social impact and transformation work across various industry sectors.

Stacey Doorly Jones

Founder & Chief Executive Officer

Stacey’s prior career was well established in blue chip Corporate Enterprises, spearheading transformative projects across a diverse spectrum of industry sectors. With a deep routed empathy and understanding of the intersection between childhood abuse, trauma, mental health, Gender Based Violence, poverty and alcohol/drug dependence, Stacey Doorly-Jones, founded STAND in 2018. She has passionately spoken on reducing drug and alcohol related harms as an invited panellist for The United Nations Economic and Social Council (ECOSOC) Partnership Forum & VNGOC (Vienna NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs), NYNGOC (New York NGO Committee on Narcotic Drugs), and UNODC (United Nations Office for Drugs and Crime) Civil Society Unit, Africa Drug Policy Week; and is a founding Member of the WFAD Global Gender Committee – advocating for Gender-Centric, Non-Stigmatized Drug and Alcohol Treatment for Women Who Use Drugs.

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Professor Leon Holtzhausen holds a PhD with specialization in Criminal Justice, Masters of Social Work in Community Development, and a B.A. (Social Work). He is the Head of Department of Social Work and Social Development at the University of Cape Town, South Africa.

Prof. Leon Holtzhausen

Executive Director on the Board

His research focus is broadly situated in the field of social justice, crime and violence. However, due to how violence intersects with vulnerability and people at risk across the life course, he also undertakes research with socially excluded populations like people experiencing homelessness and substance users. After graduating with his Bachelor of Social Work Degree, Holtzhausen practiced clinical social work in a Super Maximum Prison for more than six years, where he specialized in offender profiling, assessment and mental health treatment of male adult and juvenile offenders and their families.

He is a member of various national and international organizations like the South African Violence and Safety Initiative, The Social Intervention Research Unit, The Centre for Social Sciences Research and various other professional bodies.

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Charity Monareng is the Executive Director of Students for Sensible Drug Policy International, leading the largest grassroots youth movement in the field of drug policy.

Charity Monareng

Executive Director on the Board.

Charity has a Bachelors degree in Criminology and International Studies from Monash South Africa and an Honours degree in Social Development from the University of Cape Town. She has done some consultancy work with the African Policing Civilian Oversight Forum and TB HIV Care before working as the Parliamentary and Policy Research Officer at TB HIV Care in South Africa, where she passionately advocated for drug policy reform at national, regional, and international levels. Her influence extends to board roles with the South African Network of People Who Use Drugs (SANPUD), Digital Girl Africa, and as the chairperson of the Stand Action board. Charity is also pursuing her PhD in the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town, reflecting her deep commitment to law and public policy.

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Julie is a Trauma and Addictions Counsellor with a special focus on Women who use drugs and Harm Reduction. She holds a Committee position on the World Health Organization (WHO) Global Alcohol Action Plan’s World Assembly for Community Action.

Julie Mac Donnell

Executive Director and Secretary on the Board

Julie has worked in the substance use disorder field (SUD) for over 12 years, first as an addictions and trauma counsellor in Lavendar Hill in the Cape Flats, and then joined TB HIV Care in 2013 on their Harm Reduction project.

Julie is actively involved in research, with a special focus on Women who use drugs, for the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime, Elton John Aids Foundation, The Global Fund through Nacosa and Aidsfonds through the Dutch Foreign Ministry. Julie co-ordinates the annual SA Drug Policy Week conference in partnership with Shaun Shelly and is the former Lead for Human Rights on the Western Cape Provincial Council for Aids. She provides ongoing consulting and operational support to the South African Network of People who Use Drugs (SANPUD) and TB HIV Care.

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