Perceptions of gender-based violence among men in rural areas in Limpopo province, South Africa

Abstract

Gender-based violence is a prevailing issue globally and in South Africa. Gender-based violence is a phenomenon that has been studied for many years. However, there is paucity of literature on gender-based violence (GBV) in rural areas of South Africa. This mini-dissertation endeavoured to bridge the gap in understanding the phenomenon of gender-based violence in rural areas by exploring the perceptions of gender-based violence among men in rural areas of Limpopo Province. The study utilised a qualitative approach to gain insight into men’s perceptions of gender-based violence. A purposive sampling was used to recruit eight participants from two rural communities of Limpopo Province. Semi-structured interviews were conducted with eight participants between the age of 21 and 30 years old. Reflexive thematic analysis was utilised to analyse the data. The findings revealed that cultural norms and language (phrases and practices) affected how men in rural areas perceived GBV and more importantly, how GBV was perceived to be dealt with within these communities. The findings further revealed that there is a need to create safe spaces for both victims and perpetrators of GBV. This means creating safe spaces for victims to report GBV without shame and guilt, while creating safe spaces for perpetrators of GBV to receive psychological help without being ridiculed as men who are inferior. It is recommended that further research be conducted on perceptions of GBV in more than two rural communities with different ethnicities using both qualitative and quantitative studies to enhance the understanding of GBV in rural communities and increase generalisability.