Grade 11 Life Orientation
– Term 2
GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA
WEEK 1 - Unequal power relations
Research gender-based violence in SA and the world:
- Different forms of violence e.g.
⮚ domestic
⮚ sexual
⮚ rape
⮚ physical
⮚ emotional/ mental
⮚ femicide
⮚ sexual harassment
What is Power Relations?
Power relations refers to relationships in which one person has social-formative
power over another, and is able to get the other person to do what they wish
whether by compelling obedience or in some less compulsive and even a more
subtle way.
In interpersonal interaction, the relative status, power, and/or dominance of the
participants, reflected in whether expectations and behavior are reciprocal,
and consequently in communicative style.
Power relations are a key dimension in interpersonal communication. See
asymmetrical relationships; complementary relationships; parallel relationships;
symmetrical relationships.
Relationships of dominance and subordination between different groups
Equal power relations vs unequal
power relations
What is GBV?
GBV can be physical, sexual, emotional, financial or structural, and can be perpetrated by
intimate partners, acquaintances, strangers and institutions. Most acts of interpersonal
gender-based violence are committed by men against women, and the man perpetrating
the violence is often known by the woman, such as a partner or family member.
Violence against women and girls (VAWG)
GBV is disproportionately directed against women and girls. For this reason, you may find
that some definitions use GBV and VAWG interchangeably.
Violence against LGBTQI people
However, it is possible for people of all genders to be subject to GBV. For example, GBV is
often experienced by people who are seen as not conforming to their assigned gender
roles, such as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and/or intersex people.
Different types of violence
Intimate partner violence (IPV)
IPV is the most common form of GBV and includes physical, sexual, and emotional abuse and
controlling behaviours by a current or former intimate partner or spouse, and can occur in
heterosexual or same-sex couples [5].
Domestic violence (DV)
Domestic violence refers to violence which is carried out by partners or family members. As such, DV
can include IPV, but also encompasses violence against children or other family members.
Sexual violence (SV)
Sexual violence is “any sexual act, attempt to obtain a sexual act, unwanted sexual comments or
advances, or acts to traffic, or otherwise directed, against a person’s sexuality using coercion, by any
person regardless of their relationship to the victim, in any setting, including but not limited to home
and work.”
Indirect (structural) violence
Structural violence is “where violence is built into structures, appearing as unequal power relations
and, consequently, as unequal opportunities.
Structural violence exists when certain groups, classes, genders or nationalities have privileged access
to goods, resources and opportunities over others, and when this unequal advantage is built into the
social, political and economic systems that govern their lives.”
Because of the ways in which this violence is built into systems, political and social change is needed
over time to identify and address structural violence.
ACTIVITY 2 – differentiate between the
different forms of violence
Term 2 - Week 2
Critically discuss how the factors below contribute towards GBV:, e.g.
Unequal power relations
Power balance and power struggles between genders
Abuse of power
Social norms about the roles and responsibilities of each gender
Patriarchy
Sexist views
Gender stereotypes -prejudice
Bigotry
Race
Sexual orientation (LGBTQI+)
Drivers (contributory factors) of GBV
Drivers of GBV are the factors which lead to and perpetuate GBV. Ultimately, gendered
power inequality rooted in patriarchy is the primary driver of GBV.
GBV (and IPV in particular) is more prevalent in societies where there is a culture of
violence, and where male superiority is treated as the norm. A belief in male superiority
can manifest in men feeling entitled to sex with women, strict reinforcement of gender
roles and hierarchy (and punishment of transgressions), women having low social value
and power, and associating masculinity with control of women.
These factors interact with a number of drivers, such as social norms (which may be
cultural or religious), low levels of women’s empowerment, lack of social support, socio-
economic inequality, and substance abuse.
In many cultures, men’s violence against women is considered acceptable within
certain settings or situations - this social acceptability of violence makes it particularly
challenging to address GBV effectively.
In South Africa in particular, GBV “pervades the political, economic and social
structures of society and is driven by strongly patriarchal social norms and complex and
intersectional power inequalities, including those of gender, race, class and sexuality.”
Unequal power relations - Critically discuss how
the factors below contribute towards GBV, e.g.
Term 2 - Week 3
Discuss the negative effects of GBV on the health and well -being of the:
Individual
Family
Society
Refer specifically to:
Physical trauma,
Psychological trauma
Emotional trauma,
Explore how GBV contributes towards:
Broken family structures,
Increased social ills,
Inability to build trusting social relationships,
Burden on health and judicial systems
IMPACT (EFFECTS) OF GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE
GBV is a profound human rights violation with major social and developmental
impacts for survivors of violence, as well as their families, communities and society
more broadly.
On an individual level –
Psychological trauma, and can have psychological, behavioural and physical
consequences for survivors.
Families and loved ones of survivors can also experience indirect trauma, and
many do not know how to provide effective support.
HIV – Due to rape.
Reproductive health - Women who have been raped are at risk of unwanted
pregnancy, HIV and other sexually transmitted infections.
Mental health - Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), depression, suicidality and
substance abuse and alcohol abuse.
Economic consequences. Burden on the health and criminal justice systems, as
well as rendering many survivors unable to work or otherwise move freely in
society.
THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF GBV ON E.G.
WOMEN
Negative effects:
Long-term physical and mental health problems.
Also their children, families, and communities are affected.
These effects include harm to an individual’s health, possibly long-term
harm to children, and harm to communities such as lost work and
homelessness.
Discuss the negative effects of GBV on
the health and well -being of the:
ACTIVITY - RESEARCH
Explore how GBV contributes towards:
broken family structures,
increased social ills,
inability to build trusting social relationships,
burden on health and judicial systems
Term 2 – Week 4
Explore strategies to address unequal power relations and power inequality
between genders
Evaluate the efforts of the campaigns below to reduce and prevent gender-
based violence:
Awareness campaigns, e.g. 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against
Women and Child Abuse.
Educational Programmes such as CSE;
Free social and legal support
STRATEGIES TO REDUCE GENDER-BASED
VIOLENCE
Funding women’s full participation in civil society
Scaling up prevention efforts that address unequal gender power relations
as a root cause of gender-based violence.
Bringing gender-based violence clinical services to lower-level health
facilities
Addressing the needs of child survivors, including interventions to disrupt
the gender-based violence cycle.
Developing support programs for professionals experiencing second-hand
trauma.
What do we do?
Legislative framework
Domestic Violence Act (DVA) (1998)
the Sexual Offences Act (2007)
Prevention and Combatting of Trafficking in Human Persons (2013) Act.
Response services
Aim to support and help survivors of violence in a variety of ways.
Prevention initiatives look at how GBV can be prevented from happening.
Addressing GBV is a complex issue requiring multi-faceted responses and
commitment from all stakeholders, including government, civil society and
other citizens. There is growing recognition in South Africa of the magnitude
and impact of GBV and of the need to strengthen the response across
sectors.
Broadly speaking, approaches to addressing GBV
can be divided into:
Response
Prevention.
Much of our effort in South Africa has been focused on response. However – our
response efforts need to be supported and complemented by prevention
programming and policy development. By addressing the underlying,
interlinked causes of GBV, we can work towards preventing it from happening
in the first place.
ACTIVITY
Evaluate the efforts of the campaigns below to reduce and prevent
gender-based violence:
Awareness campaigns, e.g. 16 Days of Activism against Violence Against
Women and Child Abuse;
Educational Programmes such as CSE
Free social and legal support
Awareness campaigns: 16 Days of Activism
against Violence Against Women and Child
Abuse
The 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence is an annual international campaign that
kicks off on 25 November, the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women,
and runs until 10 December, Human Rights Day.
The campaign was started by activists at the inauguration of the Women’s Global Leadership
Institute in 1991. It continues to be coordinated each year by the Center for Women’s Global
Leadership. It is used as an organizing strategy by individuals and organizations around the world
to call for the prevention and elimination of violence against women and girls.
In support of this civil society initiative, the United Nations Secretary-General launched in 2008 the
campaign UNiTE by 2030 to End Violence against Women, which runs parallel to the 16 Days of
Activism.
Every year, the UNiTE Campaign focuses on a specific theme. This year’s theme is “UNITE! Activism
to end violence against women and girls” and invites everyone to play their role in ending
violence against women and girls, show support and solidarity to women’s rights activists and to
resist the rollback on women’s rights.
EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES SUCH
AS CSE
FREE SOCIAL AND LEGAL SUPPORT
