What is Gender-Based Violence (GBV)?

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) are harmful acts or threats of harm which target a specific individual or group. Victims are targeted because of their perceived or actual biological sex or gender identity. GBV is founded in unequal power relationships, gender inequality and the perpetuation of harmful social norms. It does not discriminate or contain itself to any specific demographic and can occur privately or publicly as well as within online and offline contexts. This means that any person of any race, age, gender, sexual orientation or religion can be a perpetrator, victim or survivor of GBV.  

5 Most Common Forms of GBV

1. Physical Violence
2. Emotional Violence
3. Sexual Violence
4. Technology Violence
5. Financial Violence

The concept of gender-based violence describes and includes a continuum of violence, violations, and violent behaviours and attitudes on the basis of sex and gender and always intersects with other dimensions of inequalities, such as age, ethnicity, disability, and sexuality. 

UniSafe – Ending Gender-Based Violence 

Who is Most Vulnerable to GBV?

1. Women and girls
2. Children
3. Elderly
4. Disabled
5. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer/questioning, intersex, asexual (LGBTQIA+)

The majority of GBV cases are girls and women. However, there are many GBV victims and survivors who are targeted because they are LGBTQIA+, boys or men. 

How Wide-Spread is GBV?

Globally, 1 in 3 women experience sexual or physical violence in their lifetime. In Sub-Saharan Africa, about 45% of women reported experiencing some form of gender-based violence. In South Africa, around 40% of women experience GBV, and femicide rates are five times higher than the global average. 

In-Person and Online GBV

In-person GBV happens when a victim(s) is face-to-face with their perpetrator(s). It’s an intentional harm. The most common form of in-person gender-based violence is intermate partner violence (IPV).  

Online GBV (Technology-Facilitated GBV) includes cyberbullying, doxxing, cyberstalking, hacking, non-consensual sharing of content, and coercion through threats or “sextortion.” Women are disproportionately targeted, with up to 60% of female internet users in some regions reporting exposure to online violence. 

10 Examples of In-Person GBV:	8 Examples of Technology Facilitated GBV:
Physical violence: Hitting, choking, burning, or physical harm.	Restricted access: Controlling or blocking someone’s use of technology.
Sexual violence: Rape or any forced sexual act.	Cyberbullying: Sharing or threatening to share private images or messages.
Emotional abuse: Threats, intimidation, or controlling behaviour.	Cyberstalking: Tracking someone’s online activity or location.
Economic abuse: Blocking access to money or work.	Hacking: Breaking into private accounts or demanding passwords.
Property abuse: Taking or damaging someone’s belongings.	Doxxing: Sharing someone’s personal details to cause harm.
Denial of healthcare: Refusing access to medical care.	Deepfakes: Using AI to create fake sexual images or videos.
Forced marriage: Making someone marry against their will.	Online grooming: Building fake trust for sexual or financial exploitation.
Trafficking: Exploiting people for sex or labour.	Sextortion: Threatening to expose private images to demand sexual acts or money
Honour-based violence: Harming someone to “protect” family reputation.
Femicide: Killing a woman because of her gender.

Why Many GBV Cases Go Unreported

The actual prevalence and incidence of GBV crimes is unknown as official statistics are suspected to under-reflect the true global scale of GBV. There are a number of reasons for this. Firstly, because GBV is significantly underreported. 40% of women who disclose that they have experienced GBV do so with a confident and only 7% report their GBV experience to an authority. GBV data is also particularly difficult to acquire in marginalised populations, for example the LGBTQIA+ communities, the disabled and elderly women. Exacerbating the data gap challenges within these contexts is that individuals from these groups are often excluded from surveys.  

12 Reasons Why GBV is not Reported

1. Shame and embrrassment
2. Stigma
3. Self-blame and guilt
4. Cultural beliefs
5. Belief that violence in normal, deserved and/or not serious enough
6. Financial dependence on perpertrators
7. Fear of retaliation
8. Threat of losing access to children
9. Lack of knowledge of or access to GBV services
10. Lack of access to law enforcement
11. Discrimination against survivors and victims within law enforcement and legal settings
12. Distrust of health workers

Why Gender-Based Violence Persists

GBV is prevalent worldwide and despite efforts continues to be one of the most serious and severe human rights violations. Gender-Based Violence (GBV) is rooted in structural, political, economic and social imbalances between women and men, boys and girls. It exists within a continuum of violence such that it often involves the interlinking of multiple forms of GBV. 

Structural and Economic Imbalances: Gender Inequality and GBV

One of the primary reasons why more women and girls are affected by GBV is due to systemic and perpetuated gender inequality. The result is they are disempowered thereby lacking access to justice and economic resources, and consequently are dependent on their abuser. 

Social Imbalances: Hierarchical Systems and GBV

Unbalanced power dynamics are a result of systemic issues such as the perpetuation of patriarchal systems and disproportionate control. Often, with a context of men making decisions and women following without question, social norms legitimise the threat and use of violence to enforce control.  

Political Imbalances: Power Dynamics and GBV

Where there is an underrepresentation of vulnerable populations, like women and LGBTQIA+, political policy and implementation is unlikely to reflect their needs. The likely result is that GBV is deprioritised and resources to prevent and protect are limited or non-existent. 

Societal Reinforcing Factors of GBV

Reinforcing factors of GBV are not violent. However, they help to ensure that GBV is normalised and thereby accepted by victim and perpetrator.  

5 Factors that Reinforce GBV

1. Condoning of violence 
2. Lack of accountability for perpetrators 
3. Exposure and experience of violence, for example in childhood 
4. Backlash and resistance to prevention of inequality and the advancing gender equality
5. Weakening of prosocial behaviours such as natural disasters, stress, excessive alcohol consumption which decreases empathy, respect and concern for others 

The Psychological and Social Impact of GBV

Gender-based violence (GBV) can have a long term and serious impact on victims. Studies show that the psychological impact of GBV is a greater risk of developing mental health conditions. This risk of developing, for example, depression, anxiety, post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and suicide is three to five times higher in women than men. Research relating to the intergenerational impact of GBV reports that exposure of children to GBV has significant negative impact on them psychologically, emotionally and socially.  

The Impact of GBV on an Individual

1. Psychological Trauma Intense Overwhelming Feelings
2. Cognitive Challenges
3. Physical INjuries or Chronica Health Challenges
4. Relationship Challenges
5. Low self-esteem and errored self-confidence
6. Use of substances to cope
7. Insomnia and sleeping issues
8. Social withdrawal and isolation

Gender-Based Violence in South Africa

The Human Science Research Council (HSRC) findings report that in their lifetime, approximately 40% of South Africans women have experienced physical and sexual abuse, Furthermore, the report details that a third of women, aged 18 and up, have been physically abused. In South Africa there were over 10 000 rapes reported between July and September 2024.  

For the January to March 2025 period this number increased to 10 688. The Institute for Security Studies (ISS) estimates that only 1 in 13 rapes is reported. This means that rape statistics are severely underreported such that actual GBV is a far bigger crisis in South Africa than what is reflected in official GBV statistics for South Africa. 

“Gender norms are fuelling violence against women, social norms are fuelling violence against women, alcohol abuse and poverty, because some men feel like they are less of a man, their esteem as men is low and therefore, they can only present their own authority by shaking and beating up women.” 

Patrick Godana – Eastern Cape Provincial Manager of Sonke Gender Justice in South Africa 

Why Gender-Based Violence Happens in South Africa

1. Deeply entrenched patriarchy
2. Actual and perceived male emasculation 
3. Harmful social norms 
4. Stigma and silence 
5. Legacy and normalisation of violence
6. Poverty and unemployment 
7. Substance abuse 
8. Lack of trust in judicial system 
9. Lack of implementation and ineffective implementation of laws
10. Shortage of resources, such as safe houses, shelters and support services 

Combating GBV: What’s Being Done

GBV has been identified as a global health and development issue. As a result, there are many initiatives at all different levels, international, national, community and individual, that actively campaign around how gender-based violence can be ended.  

Steps South Africa has taken Against GBV

1. New Laws such as the Criminal and Related Matters Amendment Act, the Domestic Violence Amendment Act, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act, Protection from Harassment Act and the Prevention and Combating of Trafficking in Persons Act. 
2. National Plans which include the National Strategic Plan (NSP) on Gender-based Violence and Femicide, 365 Days of Action to end Violence against Women and Children, the National Action Plan on Women, Peace and Security and the Emergency Response Action Plan (ERAP) on GBV. 
3. National Programme of Action to End Violence against Women and Children. 
4. 90-Day Accelerated Programme is intended to accelerate the government’s implementation of the NSP on GBVF. 
5. Additional resource allocations and extended support for survivors through the creation of Thuthuzela Care Centres, Shelters and Victim-Friendly Rooms. 
6. My Safe Plan is a plan developed by the Department of Justice to help GBV victims create an escape plan and/or seek support. 
7. GBV Prevention and Awareness Campaigns such as 16 Days Campaign, #ONE VOICE, One in Nine (1 in 9) Campaign and Under-The-Tree-Dialogues for Men and Boys.  
8. Signatory to International treaties and campaigns, for example The United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. 

Global Response to GBV

On a global level there has been a concerted effort to coordinate a multi-pronged approach. This includes the agreement and formation of common legal and policy frameworks, designing prevention and change initiatives, and commitments to scaling up of multi-sectoral response and support services. 

One key global response to GBV is the United Nation’s Sustainable Development Goal 5: Achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls by 2030. The purpose of this global campaign is to create a multi-year world-wide coordinate strategy against GBV. The campaign calls for the prevention and elimination of GBV against women and girls. It builds on existing international legislation and policy frameworks and attempts to stimulate as well as support country-based initiatives and laws.  

Practical ways to help prevent gender-based violence

1. Challenge harmful gender stereotypes and traditional roles 
2. Promote equality 
3. Confront those who make sexist jokes and derogatory remarks 
4. Challenge the normalisation and condoning of violence against women and girls, children and LGBTQIA+ 
5. Stop victim blaming, defend them 
6. Be critical and question what you see and hear around you 
7. Interrupt abuse and name it for what it is 
8. Promote open and honest communication 
9. Be willing to break the silence around GBV and abuse 
10. Practice self-awareness 

South Africa needs people who can help change status quo and support the fight against GBV. If you know someone who is a victim of GBV, help them access support services.   

How You Can Help

If you are passionate about positively changing and healing the lives of others, consider studying to become a community psychologist and enrol in a Bachelor of Psychology or equivalent degree at SACAP. SACAP’s Facility of Applied Psychology offers numerous bachelors and honours degree options for those wishing to pursue a career in the field of psychology. SACAP has over 28 years of experience of training students in Applied Psychology and Counselling. Courses are internationally recognised and accredited. Enrol online today.