Abstract
This chapter argues that GBV in South Africa is a dynamic, multi-layered phenomenon, whose underlying causes are located in the intersection of race, gender, sexual orientation and gender identity and expression. It thus presents a holistic overview of GBV. The chapter begins with an introduction. Section two defines GBV and discusses its causes. Section three presents the masculinities approach and social norms theory, and the fourth section historicises GBV in South Africa. Section five examines the roles played by non-state actors in addressing GBV. Lastly, the chapter focuses on GBV as a human rights violation and presents recommendations and a conclusion.
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Notes
- 1.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), femicide refers to the intentional murder of women simply because they are women or due to their gender or biological makeup which makes them different from men. A broader definition includes any killing of women or girls. The different types of femicide include intimate femicide, murders in the name of “honour”, dowry-related femicide, and non-intimate femicide. Femicide also refers to the killing of women by an intimate male partner, see Brodie (2019) and World Health Organisation (2012).
- 2.
Intersectionality ‘refers to the idea that people have multiple identities and that people experience and perform/live within multiple, intersecting, and concurrent positions of privileges and oppressions’ (Patton et al., 2010: 270). It enables an understanding of how race, gender, sexual orientation as well as gender identity and expression intersect in GBV.
- 3.
Pillar 2: Prevention and Rebuilding Social Cohesion; Pillar Three: Justice, Safety and Protection. See https://www.justice.gov.za/vg/gbv/NSP-GBVF-FINAL-DOC-04-05.pdf.
- 4.
See Nkanjeni, U. (2020). 16 days of activism: Five shocking cases that took place over this period in the past two years. Times Live. Available at: https://www.timeslive.co.za/news/south-africa/2020-11-30-16-days-of-activism-five-shocking-cases-that-took-place-over-this-period-in-the-past-two-years/ (accessed 12 February 2022).
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Ndawonde, N. (2023). Gender-Based Violence in South Africa: The Second Pandemic?. In: Contemporary Issues on Governance, Conflict and Security in Africa. Palgrave Macmillan, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-29635-2_17
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