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One in three women aged 18 years and older have experienced sexual and physical abuse in their lifetime, according to the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC).
The findings of the first South African national gender-based violence (GBV) study, which was done in 2022, was released and presented to Women and People with Disabilities Minister Sindisiwe Chikunga yesterday.
In addition, 9.8% of women have encountered sexual violence in their lifetime.
The study revealed that 35.5% of women 18 and older have experienced physical and sexual violence. This amounts to 7 847 438 women.
The study compiled data over the past 12 months of physical and sexual violence of the participants.
It found that recent physical violence was higher among women aged 18-24 and 25-39 compared to those aged 50 and older. Sexual violence was more common in women aged 25-29 and 35-39.
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Combined violence was higher among black women who are cohabiting, but are not married, and who are urban residents.
Dr Nompumelelo Zungu, HSRC deputy executive director, said the findings reveal the widespread and severe prevalence of GBV in South Africa.
“The figures that we have once again confirm that violence starts early and continues throughout their life cycle,” she noted.
Combined physical and sexual violence was highest for women aged 39-49.
Zungu said: “Both women and men held inequitable gender norms, agreeing with statements that reinforce gender stereotypes and unequal power dynamics in relationships.
“Relationship dynamics indicated that intimate partner violence was linked to relationships with frequent quarrels and instability.”
Cohabiting but unmarried relationships had higher intimate partner violence.
“The most important thing is that we now have baseline data that we can work with that shows us where we are in the past 12 months, but also what women have gone through their lifetime.
“It highlights that a substantial proportion of women aged 18 years and older have experienced physical violence at some point in their lives,” she said.
According to the data, the estimate of global prevalence of GBV is 27% and 33% in Africa. The study found South Africa was at 23.9% in comparison to the two.
Chikunga said the findings painted a grim picture of the state of affairs concerning women and children.
“The HSRC has confirmed our long-held observation that most violence committed on women is not by strangers, but by the current or former husbands or intimate partners.
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“This reality is disheartening.”
However, Ayanda Kunene, founder and executive director at Xumana Sibambane organisation, said: “Political will, resource constraints and competing priorities often slow down the implementation of evidence-based solutions.
“Moreover, there are societal and cultural barriers – such as resistance to changing long-standing norms around gender and violence – that can impede policy change.
“However, sustained advocacy, community involvement and the political commitment to prioritising GBV can help overcome these challenges and ensure that the research findings lead to tangible changes.”
She said Chikunga and the government should take a leadership role in responding to the findings by ensuring that its recommendations are translated into clear, actionable policies.
“This includes allocating resources to strengthen support systems for survivors, improving the criminal justice response, creating public awareness campaigns and, more importantly, supporting civil society organisations.”
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Key recommendations in the study include adopting longterm, culturally relevant approaches that focus on rebuilding family and community structures, engaging traditional leadership, fostering societal change and strengthening GBV law enforcement.
In May, President Cyril Ramaphosa signed into law the National Council on Gender-Based Violence and Femicide Bill and the National Prosecuting Authority Amendment Bill.
Lisa Vetten, research associate at the Centre for Inequality Studies at Wits University in Johannesburg, said the real issue was whether government departments, such as health, women and people with disabilities and social development would take action based on the findings.
She added that the lack of action remained a concern.
“One of the key recommendations is that the Presidency ensures the report is adopted across various government departments.
“It’s not just the responsibility of the department of women. The implementation needs to happen at all levels.
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“While the recommendations are clear, we’re living in a time of fiscal austerity, which limits resources,” she added.
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