The Open Door

The Open Door Crisis Care Centre was established in 1997 by Thora Mansfield in Durban — not from a grant or a policy document, but at the direct request of local SAPS officers who saw survivors arriving at police stations with nowhere to go and no one to support them. Nearly 30 years later, Open Door has counselled thousands of men, women, and children, won multiple national awards for their work against crimes against women and children, and built one of KwaZulu-Natal's most structured and comprehensive GBV response organisations.

Their model is anchored in four pillars: Prevention (awareness, training, and education), Protection (registered shelters for survivors), Prosecution (equipping survivors to be effective witnesses in court), and Partnership (collaboration with government agencies, SAPS, and other NGOs to improve systemic service delivery and prevent secondary traumatisation).

What They Offer Survivors

Registered Shelters — Women & Children, and Men & Boys Open Door operates two DSD-registered shelters: one for women and children, and one for men and boys — both with undisclosed addresses to ensure residents' safety from perpetrators. Both shelters are also accredited to accommodate survivors of human trafficking — a rare and important capacity. Survivors in the shelter receive wraparound support: safety, counselling, social services, and a pathway toward independence.

Human Trafficking Support Open Door is one of a small number of South African organisations with shelters formally accredited to house human trafficking survivors. If you or someone you know has been trafficked, Open Door can provide safe accommodation and specialist support.

Free Counselling and Trauma Support Individual counselling and trauma support are available for survivors of domestic violence, child abuse, sexual assault, and human trafficking — provided by trained counsellors in a confidential, non-judgmental environment.

Court Preparation — Becoming an Effective Witness Open Door's court preparation programme equips survivors with the knowledge, emotional resilience, and practical skills to testify effectively — ensuring their voice is heard in the justice process and perpetrators are held accountable.

Social Services and Practical Support Social workers assist survivors with practical needs — referrals, documentation, access to government services, and navigating the aftermath of violence.

Lay Counsellor Training Open Door offers accredited lay counselling training (currently available from 7 February 2026, R2,500 with early bird discount, R1,250 deposit) — equipping community members and professionals to provide first-line emotional support to people in crisis. Contact Thando on thando@opendoor.org.za or 031 709 2679 to book.

Community Awareness and Prevention Open Door runs prevention-focused awareness and educational programmes — particularly in disadvantaged communities — building knowledge of rights, forms of abuse, and available services.

Secondary Abuse Advocacy Open Door lobbies actively against secondary abuse — the re-traumatisation of survivors by insensitive treatment from police, medical staff, social workers, and the courts. They challenge this on a daily basis and partner with government to improve frontline responses.

Open Door is in Durban, KZN. Call 031 709 2679 or email info@opendoor.org.za. For shelter access or lay counselling training, contact Thando directly at thando@opendoor.org.za.