The Intricacies and Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence in South Africa: Forms, Causes and Mitigation Measures
Treasure Malatjie 
& John Mamokhere
Issue: Vol.5 No.7 Issue Article 1 pp.1059-1070
DOI: https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024571| Published online 2nd July, 2024
© 2024 The Author(s). This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
Gender-based violence (GBV) is prevalent in South Africa, primarily attributed to historical systems of social inequality, patriarchy and racism that dominated during the apartheid regimes, with lasting impacts persisting today. Thus, this study explored the intricate dynamics and prevalence of GBV in the context of South Africa. To realize this objective, the study employed a qualitative research methodology. To collect data, the study employed a secondary data technique such as a literature review of existing sources. Different datasets were used such as Google Scholar, National Institutes of Health, Google, and Scopus. The criterion employed to source information was the use of keywords which are shedding light on the social, cultural, and economic factors contributing to GBV. The study explored the root causes and manifestations of violence against women and girls. It is found that South Africa is grappling with high rates of GBV due to poverty, unemployment, cultural beliefs, and legal factors. To mitigate the prevalence and causes of GBV, efforts to combat GBV should encompass legal reforms and protection, prevention education, awareness, and NGO programmes that address the profoundness and complexity of violence against women and girls. The study has a vast potential to contribute to the production of new knowledge on forms, causes and mitigation measures for GBV. It will also contribute by addressing gaps or limitations in the existing literature on the phenomenon being studied.
Keywords: Grievous Bodily Harm; Gender-Based Violence; Poverty and Unemployment, Patriarchal Systems, Legal Factors, Women, Men.
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Ms. Treasure Malatjie is currently working at the University of Limpopo, South Africa as an Administrator. She holds a full dissertation master’s degree in Sociology from the University of Limpopo, Turfloop Campus, South Africa. Her masters’ research was focused on HIV/AIDS prevention model. As an emerging researcher, she has published two (2) articles in DHET-accredited journals, namely Gender & Behaviour and IAHRW International Journal of Social Sciences Review. Her research interests include Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis (PrEP) uptake and awareness, as well as HIV/AIDS and Gender-based Violence (GBV).
Mr. John Mamokhere is an Emerging Researcher and Research Fellow at the University of Limpopo. He obtained his master’s degree in public management and governance from the University of Johannesburg, South Africa. His research interests encompass local government administration, service delivery protest scholarship, public participation, and municipal planning. Mr. Mamokhere has contributed to the academic community by publishing numerous peer-reviewed and DHET-accredited journal articles, book chapters and conference papers. To date, he has published close to 30 publications and has attracted 326 citations with a h-index of 10 according to Google Scholar https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=7FiaVnUAAAAJ&hl=en&oi=ao, as well as 18 citations and a h-index of 3 according to Scopus https://www.scopus.com/authid/detail.uri?authorId=57211793149.
Malatjie, Treasure & John Mamokhere. “The Intricacies and Prevalence of Gender-Based Violence in South Africa: Forms, Causes and Mitigation Measures,” E-Journal of Humanities, Arts and Social Sciences 5, no.7 (2024): 1059-1070. https://doi.org/10.38159/ehass.2024571
© 2024 The Author(s). Published and Maintained by Noyam Journals. This is an open access article under the CCBY license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).
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