As we mark the 16 Days of Activism Against Gender-Based Violence under the 2025 theme “Break Barriers, Build Safe Spaces”, we must confront the uncomfortable intersections of addiction and violence that shatter South African families.
While physical and emotional abuse often receive the most attention in conversations about domestic violence, another equally destructive force frequently goes unnoticed — the effect of problem gambling on families and relationships. This often-hidden issue is not simply a personal struggle but is deeply intertwined with cycles of abuse within families.
The toxic relationship between gambling addiction and domestic violence creates devastating consequences for adult victims, who may endure not only…