The Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence against Women in South Africa : A Call for Action

Abstract

The prevalence of gender-based violence in South Africa is an intense and widespread problem that impacts almost every aspect of life. This call for states’ intervention in the prevention of gender-based violence (GBV) in the country. Reports show that intimate partner violence and sexual coercion are the most common forms of GBV globally, and these are the types of violence that are explored in this paper. GBV has serious consequences for women’s health, such as homicides, suicides, AIDS-related deaths as well as physical injuries, chronic pain syndrome, gastrointestinal disorders, complications during pregnancy, miscarriage and low birth-weight of children. GBV also poses significant costs for the economies of both developed and developing countries alike, including low productivity and earnings, and low accumulation of human and social capital. Findings from literature show that violence can negatively affect women’s physical, mental, sexual, and reproductive health, and may increase the risk of acquiring HIV in some settings. The study called on the government to take imperative actions to address gender-based violence (GBV). It recommended the implementation of a more strategic plan having recognized the detrimental impact of GBV on the victims and the general society.

Black Twitter and Digital Counterpublics in South Africa

“…South Africa is one of the countries with the highest statistics of gender-based violence crimes in the world (Enaifoghe et al, 2021). Moreover, some of these crimes go unreported (Nobanda et al, 2021).…”

A conceptual framework of gender-based violence and femicide drivers in South Africa

“…The Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) reported that experiencing violence as a child or growing up in a household that uses violence as a means of communication contributes towards violence becoming normalised for the individual in later life (CSVR, 2016). Such victims are often subjected to physical assault leading to bodily harm, contracting HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases and the possibility of unwanted pregnancies leading to unsafe abortions (Enaifoghe et al, 2021). The trauma of GBV translates into psychological health instability such as depression, fear, anxiety, low self-esteem, mental illness and suicidal thoughts or action and in extreme cases, femicide (Weil, 2016).…”

“…The trauma of GBV translates into instabilities of psychological health such as depression, fear, anxiety, low self-esteem, mental illness and suicidal thoughts or action and in extreme cases, femicide (Weil, 2016). Additionally, the victim will suffer from a change in socioeconomic perspective in the form of stigmatisation, rejection, isolation and decreased earnings leading to increased poverty (Enaifoghe et al, 2021).…”

“…The consequences of GBV are immense and have a ripple effect on the victim, in some cases, the perpetrator, the families and friends of both parties, the community at large and the economy. The victim will additionally suffer from a socioeconomic perspective in the form of stigmatisation, rejection, isolation and decreased earnings leading to increased poverty (Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation, 2016;Oparinde & Matsha, 2021;Enaifoghe et al, 2021). Stark (2007), later supported by Postmus et al (2015), postulated the "Wheel" of domestic violence as tactics used by an abuser to maintain power and control over the victim using manoeuvres such as restricting finances, sexual coercion, physical violence, isolating the victim, preventing the victim from working, and name-calling, all examples of coercive control.…”

Dispositivo IoT para prevenir la violencia de género usando TinyML

“…La violencia basada en el género (VBG) es un problema social de gran magnitud que afecta los derechos de las mujeres a nivel mundial (Enaifoghe et al, 2021). Las estadísticas revelan que un número alarmante de mujeres ha experimentado violencia física o sexual, y que muchas de ellas no denuncian estos actos debido al temor a sus agresores o a la vergüenza social.…”