ACADEMIC QUALIFICATIONS:

Dr. Marlene Wasserman attained a BA (Social Work) Hons (University of the Witwatersrand), M.(Soc Science) Clinical Social Work specializing in Family Therapy, cum laude, (University of the Orange Free State, South Africa) winning the Dean’s Medal for the Best Social Science Student in the Faculty of Humanities ; and a Doctorate in Human Sexuality from the Institute in Advanced Studies in Human Sexuality, San Francisco . She is certified as a Sex Therapist through AASECT (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors and Therapists).In the last 20 years she has become internationally trained as a Sexual Medicine Therapist and Consultant through the international societies of ISSWSH (International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health)  ESSM (European Society for Sexual Medicine)  , ISSM (International Society for Sexual Medicine).

 

 For the last 25 years Marlene has been in Private Practice as a Clinical Sexologist and Couple and Sex Therapist, specializing in Sexual Medicine, and more recently, Cyber Infidelity, Infidelity and Contemporary Intimacies, Developmental Trauma Disorder and Medico Legal Personal Injury work.

 

She is locally registered with SAASWIPP ( South African Association of Social Workers  in Private Practice ) and  Social Work Practitioners Council.

 

MEDICO LEGAL WORK :

For the last 18 years, in line with her commitment to sexual health and rights, Marlene has been a sexual medicine medico-legal expert in private practice.

 

Since 2013 Marlene has dedicated a large part of her private practice into a Medico Legal  Practice. Currently she is one of the only recognized  Expert in Sexual Health in South Africa , and one of the few sexual health experts globally.

 

In 2013 Marlene joined  The South African Medico Legal Association (SAMLA), and  she has presented her work in sexual health,  to  the medico legal fraternity, to educate and enlighten them of the value of sexual health in personal injury.

 

In July 2016 Marlene attended the University of Cape Town, South Africa,  Law School Medico Legal Mediation course. She is now a Medico Legal Mediator.

 

 

In January 2015 Marlene was appointed as a committee  member of the Western Cape branch of SAMLA.

In October 2016 Marlene was appointed as a Director of the Board of the South African Medico Legal Society. This Directorship ended in November 2019.

In 2019 Marlene expanded her expertise into Family Law as a Seuxal Health Expert.   

 

 

INTERNATIONAL PRESENCE:

2000: an inception member of SASHA (South African Sexual Health Association).

 

2009:  elected as a Director of the Board of ISSWSH (International Society for the Study of Women’s Sexual Health).

 

2009: elected co-chairperson for ICSM (International Consultation of  Sexual Medicine) presentation, in Paris. This is a body that sets world standards of Sexual Medicine practice for Health Care Providers.

 

2010: invited onto the Sexual Rights Committee of the World Association for Sexual Health (WAS), the umbrella organization for all sexual health and sexual medicine organizations worldwide.

 

June 2011:  presented the first African bid to host the WAS  in South Africa,  2015.

 

2010/2011:  committee member on ISSWSH Scientific Program Committee , the Certification Committee , Bylaws and Education Committees .

 

2011 : nominated onto the newly formed board of  ASSM (Africa Society for Sexual Medicine)

 

 

2012: appointed an ISSWSH Fellow at inception of ISSWSH Fellowship.

 

2012 : appointed to the Education Committee of International Society of Sexual Medicine (ISSM)

 

2012:  appointed as a Temporary Adviser to the WHO (WORLD HEALTH ORGANISATION ) as a member of a Guidelines Working Group. She was also consulted as a Reviewer for the ICD 11 Guidelines.

 

2013 : elected onto the WAS Executive Committee and elected as Africa Regional Secretary.

 

2013:  invited onto the specialist WAS TASK FORCE, to establish an international declaration on Sexual Rights as Human Rights.

 

Marlene is an International Consultant on SRT (Sexual and Relationship Therapy) academic UK based journal.

 

She is regularly asked to peer review research for academic journals and  international meetings.

 

She is a member of Africa Regional Sexuality Resource Centre (ARSRC).

 

She is a member of the Society for Sex Therapy and Research (SSTAR) .

 

In 2019 Marlene was nominated as the International Regional Representative to the Membership Services Steering Committee for AASECT. 

 

 

ACTIVIST WORK:

 Marlene was a founder member of the board and then secretary of GENDERDYNAMIX ,  an NGO that works for the rights and health of  Transgender people throughout Africa.

She is deeply committed in her association with a number of NGO’s in South Africa as a sexual rights activist. Her focus is on training in Gender Based Violence and HIV/AIDS/STI’s.

 In 2011 she began training Government officials in Gender Based Violence, HIV/AIDS/STI/ and more recently in Sexual Harassment #MeToo

 She is a consultant and Patron of the annual Artscape Women’s Festival, an activist /art Women’s Day event for people in the local communities and rural areas of the Western Cape.

She has been  a consultant to the South African Government for the 16 Days of Activism campaign.

In 2011 Marlene began work and research with SWEAT, NGO for rights and health of sex workers in South Africa. Her focus is on transwomen sex workers.

In 2013 she began a STOPRAPE campaign under her Dr Eve brand.

 

ACADEMIC WORK:

Marlene holds a part time lecture post at the department of O&G at the University of Cape Town Medical School, teaching Sexual Medicine. She was a Key Opinion leader for pharmaceutical companies and lectured Health Care Professionals (HCP) in Sexual Medicine both nationally and internationally.   

 

The goal of all her academic work is to train Health Care Providers in integration of sexual health into their work within a human rights paradigm. She has developed training programs to teach HCP’s sexuality counseling to ensure the rights of patients are met.

 

 Marlene has been published in academic journals and is a reviewer for the Journal of Sexual Medicine, ISSM & SRT. She presents academic papers both nationally and internationally.

 

In February 2011 she was invited to guest lecture at Fairleigh Dickenson University, Madison, New Jersey, USA.

 

In October 2016 Marlene did a training workshop for supervisors at New York University.

 

 

 

PUBLIC EDUCATION:

Marlene travels both nationally and internationally lecturing the public and professionals. She is frequently invited to be a guest speaker at events. In her commitment to educating the public Marlene creates her own events as outreach to the public and offers forums for education.

In December 2010 Marlene joined Young Africa Live , a mobile live chat site for people age 15-25 years old, as the contributor for HIV/AIDS, sexuality and gender based violence and relationships.

 

In January 2014 Marlene became Ambassador for Lovers+ range of condoms and lubricants with the goal of creating more forums in which to  educate  young people about sexual and reproductive  health and rights.

 

In 2015 Marlene was invited to create the Sexual Health syllabus for The Department of Health, for national online use for all learners from grades 4- 12.

 

In 2018 Marlene was consultant to the Department of Education in the development of the new curriculum text books, for the 2020 learner. She was consultant on the “Sexuality” thread in Life Orientation. 

 

In January 2019 Marlene was invited by German artist and art activist, SaySay.Love ,to participate in his solo Exhibition “Intimacy and Loneliness: sex with things” . This innovative event has been widely publicized furthering Marlene’s opportunity to keep challenging herself as she educates the public.

 

AUTHOR:

As an author Marlene has written 4 books:

• “PILLOWBOOK’ (Oshun, 2007) a best seller which had three print runs in South Africa and has become an iconic, classic self help program for women
• “DR. EVE’S SEX BOOK- A GUIDE FOR YOUNG PEOPLE” (Human and Rousseau 2008). This book was available in every school library.  Due to public demand, it is now available as an e book
• ‘AGEING & SEXUALITY – A 21^st century guide to long lasting sensuality”  (Oshun) was published in July 2009.
• In 2009 she was invited to write a chapter for a book on trends “Flux” (Pan Macmillan 2009)
• “CYBER INFIDELITY: THE NEW SEDUCTION” (Human and Rousseau 2015 )

 

Marlene won a Pica Award for Excellence in Journalism and a MTN award for “Best night time radio show” .

 

Over 25 years she has been a columnist for every prominent South African magazine namely Playboy, Longevity, Psychologies, Sarie, Move, Men’s Health, Cosmopolitan and Move, the most popular magazine in South Africa.  

 

On a daily basis she is invited by the media, both nationally and internationally,  to comment on relevant sexual health and relationship topics.  

 

She has been a contributor to every magazine, newspaper and major web site for over 24 years and  blogger for the largest online site for women in South Africa www.women24.com.  

 

In August 2016 her first column in a New York based online magazine was launched: www.stylecaster.com .

 

SOCIAL MEDIA:

Marlene hosts her own web sites and writes all her own content : www.dreve.co.za, ,a forum offering the public education, information, counseling and interaction.

Her store www.dreveshop.co.za offers visitors an opportunity to learn about and purchase sexual health products.  

 

She has a strong daily presence, and a monthly educational campaign,  with many followers  on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.

 

MEDIA:

 Twenty five years ago Marlene created  the DR. EVE brand, a household name with a very strong media and public presence in South Africa and beyond.  Daily she contributes to public interest magazines, radio stations, television shows and newspapers. 

 

Marlene enters her 25th year on radio and television. She has had at least one weekly show for the past 25 years..

 

Presently she has her own weekly live phone in radio show on a radio station, Radio 702, the most popular talk radio station in the country.  

 

 For 4 years  she had her own weekly live call in  television show on Expresso Breakfast TV, SABC3. Currently she appears on  a variety of different TV  stations, by invitation.

   

She has received many honors and much recognition from the media in South Africa.

 

In August 2015 Marlene presented her first TEDx Cape Town talk, on Cyber Infidelity.

 

In September/October 2015 Marlene launched her book , “Cyber Infidelity” in South Africa, Lisbon, Iceland and New York. 

 

She marketed herself and work in Cyber Infidelity and Contemporary Intimacies, to the media in the USA. This positioned her as the global go-to person in this cutting edge new phenomenon . 

 

 

PUBLIC RECOGNITION:

 In 2006 Marlene was named one of the 3,500 Southern Africa people in WHO’S WHO publication and a year later named for the INTERNATIONAL WHO’S WHO.

She has twice been nominated for WOMEN OF THE YEAR in the Health category.

IN 2003 she was named one of the top 140 women in South Africa  in a book WOMEN TODAY for her work in Sexual Health.

In May 2012 Marlene was nominated as a Finalist in the Regional Business Woman’s Association Award.

In 2019 Marlene was named one of 40 top South African women who have had the most influence on women in the country for the last 25 years.

 

SEXUAL HEALTH CENTER

In October 2012 Marlene opened up her architect designed suite of rooms at the EQUINOX, Sea Point , Cape Town. The Sexual Health Center houses Marlene’s Clinical Practice and Dr Eve Store. The purpose is to provide a professional, elegant environment where people can comfortably come  to become educated and informed regarding sexual and reproductive health, rights and relationships. The Dr Eve Store offers  a wide range of cutting edge sexual health products with a focus on Sexual Health and Wellbeing  and the clinical utility of sexual health products.

 

LATEST RESEARCH

Marlene continues to be fascinated with  her work in Cyber Infidelity /Infidelity and  with this interest, has expanded her work into Contemporary Intimacies, with an interest in Robot Sex. She trains  clinicians locally and internationally in this topic,  and via her multiple platforms, brings education , information and counselling to the public.

 

Currently her primary interest and training is in Trauma. She is working towards gaining certification to be an accredited  Complex Trauma Practitioner. 

 

 IN SUMMARY..

Marlene’s commitment remains to education and provoking people and professionals into thinking more critically about their intimate loving relationships, using the concepts of Rights, Responsibilities and Rewards as her key themes within a framework of sexual and reproductive health and rights.