Skip to main page content
U.S. flag

An official website of the United States government

Dot gov

The .gov means it’s official.
Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

Https

The site is secure.
The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

Access keys NCBI Homepage MyNCBI Homepage Main Content Main Navigation
. 2025 May 31;22(6):887.
doi: 10.3390/ijerph22060887.

"We Report to Traditional Leaders, but Patriarchy Means We Rarely Win the Case": Gender-Based Violence and Women's Wellness in Rural South Africa

Casey Joyce Mabasa  1 , Gudani Goodman Mukoma  2 , Bumani Solomon Manganye  1
Affiliations

"We Report to Traditional Leaders, but Patriarchy Means We Rarely Win the Case": Gender-Based Violence and Women's Wellness in Rural South Africa

Casey Joyce Mabasa et al. Int J Environ Res Public Health. .

Abstract

Background: Gender-based violence has serious health impacts on survivors and is perpetuated by cultural norms, patriarchy, and traditional values. This study explored women's (survivors) views, attitudes and the impact of gender-based violence on their health in a selected rural village within the Collins Chabane Municipality, Vhembe District, Limpopo Province.

Methods: A qualitative descriptive design was used, involving 20 women aged 18 to 59. Semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted, and data were analysed thematically using ATLAS.ti 8, based on Braun and Clarke's six-step framework. Ethical considerations were prioritised due to the sensitive nature of the research.

Results: The results revealed that women in the Collins Chabane Municipality experience multiple forms of GBV, including physical, sexual, emotional, and financial abuse, which severely impacts their mental and physical health. Additionally, socioeconomic factors like unemployment and financial dependence exacerbate their vulnerability, making it difficult to escape abusive relationships.

Conclusions: Cultural norms, patriarchal beliefs, and limited community support intersect to shape women's experiences and responses to abuse.

Keywords: South Africa; empowerment; gender-based violence; health effects; mental health; women’s health.

PubMed Disclaimer

Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

References

    1. Garcia-Moreno C., Jansen H.A., Ellsberg M., Heise L., Watts C.H. Prevalence of intimate partner violence: Findings from the WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence. Lancet. 2006;368:1260–1269. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(06)69523-8. - DOI - PubMed
    1. García-Moreno C., Pallitto C., Devries K., Stöckl H., Watts C., Abrahams N. Global and Regional Estimates of Violence Against Women: Prevalence and Health Effects of Intimate Partner Violence and Non-Partner Sexual Violence. World Health Organization; Geneva, Switzerland: 2013.
    1. Resolution G.A. Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women. United Nations; New York, NY, USA: 1993.
    1. Muluneh M.D., Stulz V., Francis L., Agho K. Gender based violence against women in sub-Saharan Africa: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-sectional studies. Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health. 2020;17:903. doi: 10.3390/ijerph17030903. - DOI - PMC - PubMed
    1. Sardinha L., Maheu-Giroux M., Stöckl H., Meyer S.R., García-Moreno C. Global, regional, and national prevalence estimates of physical or sexual, or both, intimate partner violence against women in 2018. Lancet. 2022;399:803–813. doi: 10.1016/S0140-6736(21)02664-7. - DOI - PMC - PubMed

LinkOut - more resources