Violence
against women in South Africa: A betrayal of our new democracy and a
violation of women’s human rights
South Africa has amongst the highest levels of domestic violence and
rape of any country in the world. Research conducted by the Medical Research
Council in 2004 shows that every six hours, a woman is killed by her
intimate partner. This is the highest rate recorded anywhere in the world.
Even though domestic and sexual violence are so widespread, arrest and
conviction rates for perpetrators are amongst the worst in the world. In
South Africa, only 10% of rapes are actually reported and less than 10% of
reported rapes lead to conviction.
This violence and the unequal power it reflects between men and women is
one of the root causes of the rapid spread of HIV in South Africa. Almost
onethird of sexually experienced women (31%) reported that they did not
want to have their first sexual encounter and that they were coerced into
sex. As a result, young women in South Africa are much more likely to be infected
than men and make up 77% of the 10% of South African youth between the ages
of 15 and 24 who are infected with HIV/AIDS.
These levels of violence are a threat to our new democracy and undermine
our ability to enjoy the rights enshrined in our widely respected
Constitution, especially Section 12, subsection 2 of the Bill of Rights
which makes clear that “Everyone has the right to bodily and psychological
integrity, which includes the right (a) to make decisions concerning
reproduction; and (b) to security in and control over their body”.
Men and
violence
Undeniably, it is men who commit the majority of all acts of domestic
and sexual violence. However, many men and boys are strongly opposed to
this violence and feel that it has no place in a new democratic South
Africa. They recognise that it is a fundamental violation of women’s human
rights. Men are, of course, negatively affected by domestic violence and
rape as well. Boys who live in homes where their fathers abuse their
mothers are often terrified by their fathers and the violence they commit;
as a result they can experience problems with depression, anxiety and
aggression that interfere with their ability to pay attention at school.
Similarly, all men are affected when women they care about are raped or
assaulted.
Men’s violence against women does not occur because men lose their
temper or because they have no impulse control. Men who use violence do so
because they equate manhood with aggression, dominance over women and with
sexual conquest. Often they are afraid that they will be viewed as less
than a “real” man if they apologise, compromise or share power. So instead
of finding ways to resolve conflict, they resort to violence.
These definitions of manhood are a recipe for disaster. They lead to
high levels of violence against women and they also contribute to extremely
high levels of men’s violence against other men. South Africa’s National
Injury Mortality Surveillance System tells us that the rate at which South
African men kill each other is amongst the highest in the world.
What can men
and boys do to prevent violence against women and promote gender equality?
Our research tells us that although many men are deeply concerned about
our sky-high rates of violence, they often do not know what to do about it.
Our research also tells us that many men are beginning to live more gender
equitable lives with their partners and with their families. As gender
roles continue to change in South Africa, a growing number of men are
realising that relationships based on equality and mutual respect are far
more satisfying than those based on fear and domination.
The One Man Can Campaign is intended to support men to act on their
convictions that violence against women is wrong and must be stopped. The
action sheets and materials provided here will help men to take action in
their own lives and in their communities to promote healthy relationships
based on a commitment to gender equality and to supporting women to achieve
their rights to health, happiness and dignity.
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