Sexual violence, as defined by the World Health Organization (WHO), includes any sexual act or attempt to obtain sex through coercion, regardless of the relationship between the parties. This encompasses rape, unwanted sexual touching, and non-contact forms of sexual violence.
One of the factors that differentiates healthy intimate partner sex from violent sexual encounters is consent: the voluntary, ongoing agreement to engage in sexual activity. It is essential in every sexual act, regardless of relationship status or prior interactions. And it can be withdrawn at any time.
Yet, deeply rooted cultural and societal beliefs continue to shape how consent is understood. A new wide-ranging study conducted by South Africa’s Human Sciences Research Council sheds light on the scale of the issue. The results offer a sobering look at how South African women’s autonomy in sexual matters is often dismissed or undermined.
Some of the study’s key findings include:
- 7.9% women had experienced sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime. That means an estimated 1.1 million women in South Africa have experienced sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime. And, 7.5% of male participants self-reported that they’d perpetrated sexual intimate partner violence in their lifetime. This translates to an estimated 917, 395 men who have sexually violated a partner. These grim statistics cannot be ignored.
Gender norms, gendered power relations and controlling behaviour exhibited by men may have contributed to this violence and, therefore, to the absence of consent.
Certain cultural perceptions and gendered norms play a role in normalising violence. Among women respondents, 6.4% believed that a woman is obligated to have sex with her partner, particularly in a marriage. Among men, the figure was 22.5%.
A high proportion (44.4% of men) said that when a man wants sex he expects his partner to agree. And 11.9% of men believed that if a woman doesn’t physically fight back, it’s not rape.
In total 21.1% of partnered men said they would get angry if their partner asked them to use a condom. Among partnered women, 3% said a partner had intentionally removed or sabotaged or torn a condom without their consent.
How can South Africa address these harmful beliefs and behaviours? We argue that individuals must be equipped with the tools to understand and practise consent. Evidence-based interventions and educational programmes for all ages should be developed with an emphasis on mutual consent, healthy relationships, and gender equality. This will empower both men and women to express their boundaries and desires, ultimately contributing to a cultural shift toward equality and mutual respect in relationships.
Cultural perceptions
Our research is the first national gender-based violence (GBV) prevalence study, which was conducted in 2022. It is a population-based household survey that is demographically representative of the South African population. A total of 10 012 people (5,603 women and 4,409 men) from around the country participated in face-to-face interviews.
Read more: The power of needlework: how embroidery is helping South African women tell unspeakable stories
The study had three main objectives. One, to describe how common it was for women from all nine provinces to be victims of physical, sexual, emotional, economic or psychological GBV, or a combination of these forms.
Two, to understand how common it was for men across all nine provinces to be perpetrators of such violence.
Three, to determine the factors associated with both victimisation and perpetration. These included gender and sexual norms and attitudes, socio-behavioural risk factors such as alcohol and substance use, condom use, number of sexual partners and transactional sex, and mental health issues.
One of the most striking findings was that 22.5% of men who were currently or had ever been in an intimate relationship agreed with the statement that a woman cannot refuse to have sex with her husband. It’s a belief that reflects an outdated understanding of marital roles and shows that male sexual entitlement is pervasive. This entitlement reduces the woman’s role to that of a passive participant in a relationship where her needs, desires, and consent are secondary to those of her partner.
This can have dangerous implications and contributes to the continued prevalence of sexual intimate partner violence.
Read more: Change what South African men think of women to combat their violent behaviour
Equally concerning are the findings related to gendered expectations about sexual desire. Both men (51.6%) and women (48%) seem to have internalised the belief that men have a greater need for sex than women. This belief further complicates the understanding of consent in relationships, creating an environment where sexual needs are not equally respected or acknowledged. It also reinforces a gendered power imbalance: men’s desires are seen as more legitimate, while women’s needs are overlooked.
The data also reveals that a significant number (6.4%) of women who are now or have ever been in an intimate relationship believe that, if a man has paid a bride price or lobolo, he has a right to sex whenever he desires. This reflects a disturbing cultural and religious entitlement to women’s bodies, rooted in traditional practices that view women as property or as objects whose worth is tied to their ability to satisfy their husbands’ desires.
What needs to be done?
South Africa urgently needs a cultural shift toward recognising and respecting the autonomy and consent of all individuals in intimate relationships.
Both men and women must challenge entrenched beliefs and misconceptions about gender roles and sexual entitlement. Consent must be established as a cornerstone of mutual respect and equality to ensure healthier relationships.
According to the What Works Programme, a global project against GBV, interventions that have proven to be effective include: school-based programmes that educate young people about dating or sexual violence, as well as projects that work directly with young couples to teach them about transforming gender relations within their relationships, and addressing the role of alcohol in relationship violence.
Zainonisa Petersen receives funding from South African Medical Research Council
Nompumelelo Zungu receives funding from the HSRC, Department of Science, Technology and Innovation, Department of Women, Youth and Person with Disabilities, Ford Foundation, Bill and Melinda Gate Foundation, UNWomen, CDC, UNFPA, EU Delegation.
Benita Moolman does not work for, consult, own shares in or receive funding from any company or organisation that would benefit from this article, and has disclosed no relevant affiliations beyond their academic appointment.
This article was originally published on The Conversation. Read the original article.
