NEWS
A fifth live with violence
in SA, Media24, 25 October 2004
Read the story online: http://www.news24.com/News24/South_Africa/News/0,,2-7-1442_1610654,00.html
20% live with violence - study
Oct 25 2004 11:19:20:523PM
Marthinus van Vuuren
About 20% of people in South Africa cope with physical violence in a
relationship, according to a study by the Human Sciences Research Council.
Johannesburg - About 20% of people in South Africa have
already had to cope with physical violence in a relationship, according to
a study by the Human Sciences Research Council. A total of 1 198 people
were questioned regarding physical violence in relationships.
From the study, Partner Violence, Attitudes to Child Discipline and Use of
Corporal Punishment, it becomes clear that 12.5% of the people experienced
physical violence in the past year. Of them, 16% acknowledged they had
assaulted their partners, while 15% said they were assaulted by a partner.
Women were the most likely victims, while most violent men fell in the
lowest-income group (R1 000 or less). It was also found that women in this
income group were most prone to family violence - receiving it and dishing
it out.
It was also found this group was poorly educated, and that they were
living together in most instances.
'Deeply-rooted norm' of male authority
Female victims were mostly young and poorly educated,
while male perpetrators mostly lived with their female victims. Professor
Andy Dawes, psychiatrist and director of the HSRC programme for youth and
family development, believes the findings show a "deeply-rooted norm" of
male authority and the use of physical violence by men.
The study came to the conclusion that women were more apt to retaliate to
violence than instigate it. Dawes said other studies had shown that women
- who were under the impression that men had to right to assault them -
accepted the violence.
In an article in the latest issue of the HSRC Review, official publication
of the council, Dawes writes that the principles, viewpoints and behaviour
of men as well as women should receive attention.
"The life skills programmes in our schools have to offer more prominent
challenges to patriarchal and violent relationships."
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