our history

REACH was founded in 2005 as a response to a research project called Sexual Harassment at Work on Farms in the Overberg/Western Cape Region conducted by the former Director of REACH, Joanie Fredericks, that exposed the high prevalence of sexual harassment, sexual violence, domestic violence, alcohol and drug abuse and HIV/AIDS in the Southern Western Cape’s farming rural communities, while also exposing the lack of programs and absence of support services to address and assist those whose lives are affected by these social problems.    A follow-up research study, to re-investigate the incidences of and contributing factors to sexual harassment on farms, conducted by REACH in 2006 revealed that the situation facing farm workers and rural farming communities was more severe than it had been before with young female children below the age of 13 being the main targets of sexual violations.  In 2010 REACH celebrated its fifth year of existence and took the opportunity to pause and refine its strategy and direction for the next five years.  During the past two years, REACH has formed partnerships with organisations like SAFAIDS (Southern African Aids Information Dissemination Services) which highlights the linkages between gender based violence, culture and HIV/AIDS.  Other partners that REACH have been involved with include but are not limited to the Western Cape Network on Violence against Women and the Women’s Legal Centre who takes up identified cases of sexual harassment and sexual violence on behalf the organisation.