South Africans see gender-based violence as the most important women’s-rights issue to address. Nearly half of citizens say violence against women and girls is common in their community.

Scarce data is just one obstacle to combatting sexual violence. An expert said we should also address harmful social attitudes about gender, the lack of access to comprehensive sex education, and unequal access to social services.

Women continue to bear the brunt of violent attacks in South Africa. In the first three months of 2023, 1,0512 women were raped, 1,485 attempted murders of women were reported, 969 women were killed, and over 15,000 women were assaulted.

TEARS Presentation:  Rape & sexual abuse affects men, women and children from all walks of life.

How can gender-based violence in the country be reduced? It’s vital to first understand the causes of gender-based violence – with a focus on sexual violence – globally and in South Africa. There are many contested theories.