This article provides a description of the characteristics of sexual and gender-based violence as described by survivors. It emphasizes the inter-generational and recurrent nature of interpersonal violence and demonstrates the need for early-childhood interventions to prevent and reduce sexual and gender-based violence.
This article is the first in a series derived from a larger study entitled ‘Survivors’ perceptions of the efficacy of the Criminal Justice System in South Africa for adults and children affected by sexual and gender-based violence’ completed by Childline Gauteng and independent researcher, Dr. M. Weideman in December 2021, with a grant from the Solidary Fund (administered by Tshikululu Social Investments).
The views and arguments presented in this article are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect those of the other parties mentioned.
The purposes of the larger study were to identify the factors that contribute to low conviction rates and to develop survivor-centered recommendations to achieve improved Criminal Justice System (CJS) outcomes for adult and child survivors.
Quantitative and qualitative data collection methods were used. These included a desk-top review; 28 in-depth interviews with subject experts and police; and a survey completed by 207 adult survivors of sexual and gender-based violence (SGBV), or adults representing children who have experienced SGBV, who receive, or have received, counselling support from Childline Gauteng.
It is important to note that the findings hold true for this rather specific group of respondents and, although indicative of wider patterns, cannot be generalized to the South African population, or to the survivors of SGBV in South Africa.
A key finding of the study was that both the experience and perpetration of SGBV appears to form part of a lifetime of exposure to inter-personal violence. We found that 97% of the survey respondents were subjected to sexual violence as children. Of these, 18% experienced ongoing childhood sexual abuse. Further, 33% of the respondents survived multiple incidents of sexual violence (i.e., this includes incidents of sexual abuse experienced as adults).
The “types” of sexual violence experienced were rape (77%, of which 10% were gang rapes), 7% attempted rape, 15% sexual assault, and 1% attempted murder.
As other studies on SGBV have shown, incidents are most likely to occur in places where women and children are supposed to be safe. Most incidents occurred in the homes of the survivors (46%), followed by 18% in the homes of perpetrators, 6% in the homes of friends or family members, and 4% in the homes of neighbors. Five percent were subjected to sexual violence at school where, with one exception, the violence was perpetrated by other school children. A further 3% experienced sexual violence in cars, taxis, trucks, or school buses (mostly driven by people they knew well). Other places (2%) where incidents occurred included a church, an initiation school, and a child and youth care center.
Approximately 17% of survivors were attacked and dragged to isolated places including bushes, parks, public toilets, graveyards, abandoned buildings, vacant lots, alleys, and dumping sites.
Ninety-nine percent of perpetrators were male and in 79% of cases, the perpetrators were known to the survivors. Forty-seven percent of perpetrators were family members. Male community members (20%) and male neighbors (15%) together accounted for a further 35% of the perpetrators in this study.
Many of the perpetrators were children. Child perpetrators, defined as persons aged 18 and younger accounted for 21% of perpetrators, youth (aged 19 to 35) accounted for 27% of perpetrators, and older men and men in midlife accounted for 39% of perpetrators. In 12% of cases, the survivors did now know the approximate age of the perpetrators.
The study demonstrated that most survivors seek help with 84% of the survivors seeking help by disclosing or reporting their experience of SGBV to a third party. More than half (55%) did so almost immediately (i.e., on the same or the next day), while 20% waited for more than a year before they told anyone about the incident(s).
The survivors were most likely to first report the incident to a family member (68%), most likely a female caregiver (34%). Those who chose to first report the incidents to persons outside their families, approached a friend (7%), a teacher (8%), the police (7%), or an NGO such as Childline (6%).
When children did not disclose abuse, it was for one of the following reasons: they had been threatened with death, violence, homelessness or other harm by the perpetrator and they feared for their own, or their families’ safety; they thought nobody would believe them; they found themselves in abusive or unsupportive families or communities; they did approach adults for help but were dismissed; or they thought that what was happening to them was normal.
Not only do the survivors seek support, they need support. They are physically and psychologically hurt by these experiences. The study found that most of the survivors exhibited clinical symptoms of anxiety, depression, or post-traumatic stress disorder.
Caregivers and families of the survivors are also traumatized. Many caregivers struggle to provide appropriate support because they do not have the required knowledge or expertise to do so. Caregivers reported feelings of guilt and helplessness; difficulty supporting children who are extremely angry, fearful, or who self-harm; questioning their own parenting abilities and blaming themselves; experiencing anxiety and fear for the safety of their children; and struggling financially (i.e., medical and transport costs, missing days at work to support the survivors or to attend court cases, losing jobs, or having to relocate to get away from a perpetrator). Furthermore, mothers and female caregivers struggle with the additional burden of the unpaid care work this brings about.
Yet most (91%) of the survivors or caregivers who were able to access psychosocial support described this as “helpful” or “very helpful”. This suggests that accessing psychosocial support and counselling is of paramount importance for the well-being of the survivors (particularly children) and their families; and (given the prevalence of perpetration by children) to stopping the inter-generational cycles of trauma and violence that otherwise tend to ensue.
