Breaking the Cycle: A Community-Driven Approach to Gender Based Violence Education for South African Youth & Young Adults

Introduction

The disproportionate rates of abuse against women and children in South Africa perpetrated by fathers and/or husbands, prompted President Cyril Ramaphosa to declare Gender-Based Violence (GBV) a national crisis in 2019. The alarmingly high rates of abuse on women and children have expectedly raised concerns on whether the COVID-19 lockdowns have exacerbated domestic violence situations. During the COVID-19 lockdown, a reported “21 women and children were murdered in South Africa” (Buqa, 2022). A 2024 report by the Department of Science and Innovation stressed the severity of GBV in South Africa, noting that in 2020, over 120,000 cases of GBV were reported to authorities - a potentially greater amount if unreported incidents are included - reflecting a significant increase compared to previous years. This highlights the need for a comprehensive and meaningful approach to GBV intervention that can address the root causes while providing adequate support for survivors. Gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa is deeply rooted in systemic inequalities, historical legacies, and cultural norms based in patriarchy. Such injustices have limited South Africa's ability to effectively address GBV, due in part to the normalization of abuse as a form of effective punishment in South African households. In a community-based research study conducted within the rural AmaZizi Chiefdom in Eastern Capetown, researchers emphasized the normalization and social permission to use violence as punishment, specifically towards wives at the hands of husbands, and it’s connection to the relationship between gender expectations and GBV rates (DeJong et al., 2023). In addition, the current gender-roles of South Africa are influenced by Apartheid modes of operation, in which there must be hierarchical positions and bodies of power (in this case between children, women, and men) (Moffett, 2006). The current post-colonial and post apartheid structures upheld within South Africa, leave little room for GBV education and awareness, so for this reason, this project is rooted in the necessity of educational interventions that address these complex issues whilst focusing on implementing lasting change.

There is a pressing need for GBV awareness and education, with South Africa facing significant shortfalls in the context of addressing these issues. A 2021 study highlighted that Student Representative Councils (SRCs) at select South African universities noted challenges faced in the promotion of GBV awareness, emphasizing limited support from university management as well as insufficient funding for awareness programs (Von Muellen et al., 2022). Integration of GBV into the curriculum can make learning environments safer and foster GBV awareness at a young age, as current education systems do not address GBV in an adequate or comprehensive manner (Mlamleli et al., 2000; Rammbuda, 2023). Training community leaders to support GBV education can also enhance long term sustainability and empower communities to take action at a local level in the context of generating solutions. To be effective, interventions must incorporate experiential learning, critical thinking, and emotional intelligence to equip youth and young adults with the tools that can challenge harmful gender norms and stereotypes within their communities (Anthia & Lewis, 2018). Research has shown that a participatory, community-based approach enhances the relevance, acceptability, and sustainability of GBV interventions (Harper et al., 2012). However, there seems to be a gap in the application of this approach within a South African context. Through the engagement of community leaders, the research team aimed to leverage youth and young adult activism to strengthen the sustainability of anti-GBV approaches, and pave a path toward transformative change within South African communities through this developed workshop. The multilayered and comprehensive approach to this project integrates education, community collaboration, and collective support that all sets the foundation for the focus to be on the development and application of an educational workshop that is youth and young adult focused.

Furthermore, addressing the root causes in the context of the socio-political legacy of apartheid in South Africa that shapes patriarchal socio-cultural norms (Moffet, 2006; Ntuli, 2023) is essential for shifting societal perceptions and attitudes towards GBV. Addressing GBV effectively involves long-term and contextually informed strategies that engage entire communities, tackling the issue at both individual and systemic levels. By fostering early education, challenging harmful norms, and ensuring sustained support, initiatives like this workshop can contribute to lasting social change.

Acknowledgements

First and foremost, the research team would like to emphasize the importance of acknowledging the land in which this project was worked on in both parts of the world. The land on which the research team conducted work is the traditional territory of many nations, including the Mississaugas of the Credit, Anishnabeg, the Chippewa, the Haudenosaunee, the Wendat peoples, and is home to many diverse First Nations, Inuit, and Métis peoples. Etobicoke is covered by Treaty 13, also known as the Toronto Purchase. In South Africa, this research took place in the Western Cape province. This respective land has been home to the Khoi and San peoples, the First Nations of the Cape, as well as other diverse indigenous peoples. It is important to recognize the communities that have had a deep connection to that land and honour their cultural heritage and presence in Nyanga, Valhalla Park, Atlantis, and beyond. With that being said, special acknowledgment must be given to the community partner for this project, Eunice Oyugi of Sisters4Sisters Cape Town, without Eunice’s support and connections this project wouldn't have been possible. It is also important to acknowledge the contributions of the participating community members and leaders within the Cape Town communities of Nyanga, Atlantis, and Valhalla Park. The participants as well as facilitators that joined this project have provided the research team with important data, but more importantly shared their lived experiences, which built up the rationale for this project and supported its evaluation. It’s crucial to acknowledge their contributions, and thank them for being so open and eager to join this project to develop GBV related education for youth and young adults. It is also equally important to acknowledge Humber Polytechnic and the team’s Capstone Coordinator, Linda Hill, for providing this opportunity to engage in an enriching research project.

Without this opportunity, this workshop wouldnt exist, so its existence - as well as future partnerships with Sisters4Sisters Cape Town - is owed to the connections that Humber Polytechnic has fostered. The research team’s primary hope is that through this project, Sisters4Sisters Cape Town can secure future funding to run similar initiatives that address GBV through a community-based approach and break the cycle of harm.