Violence, Masculinity And Femicide Within South Africa

Introduction Gender-based violence refers to the act of causing harm to a woman in the form of sexual harassment, female genital mutilation or rape (Boonzaier, 2006). It is a major problem that is present in our day-to-day lives and it is this violence that affects everyone and can occur in almost any and/or every situation we come across. However, this violence against women is not a recent development as it has occurred as early as the eighteenth century (if not earlier) and it is a problem that has and still is being ignored or neglected. Thus, the aim of this paper is to discuss the relationship between violence, masculinity and femicide within South Africa. The concept of gender will also be discussed while also explaining the†¦show more content†¦This definition of femicide is an update to the original definition presented by Diana Russell and Jill Radford in 1992, which stated â€Å"†¦the mysognistic killing of women by men.† (Widyono, 2008: 7). Thus, ‘femicideâ €™ (in a way) can occur when a man feels that his masculinity is not identified by his sexual partner and must be shown usually through the act of violence, which is either due to social standings or culture. Defining Gender Thus, by explaining the concept and relationships of violence, masculinity and femicide; it would be beneficial for us to fully understand the term ‘gender’ and what it may imply in terms of nature and nurture. First of all, if ‘gender’ is viewed from the perspective of nature, then ‘gender’ refers to the sex of our body or the masculinity/femininity of our personalities (Clarke Braun, 2009). According to Clarke and Braun (2009) this view also provides an explanation for our behaviours, our beliefs, needs and desires; in which they are motivated through biological factors such has hormones and genes. Thus, the nature view of ‘gender’ is deemed an essentialist’s view; where the term ‘gender’ would mean the same as ‘sex’ and it then becomes a fixed trait and does not change with your views or beliefs. It is what you were identifiedShow MoreRelatedViolence And Masculinity Of South Africa1578 Words    |  7 PagesViolence against women is prominent in South Africa. Many women have been murdered by the hands of their partners or the average men you see on the way to work (Merten, 2017). This essay will discuss the relationship between violence, masculinity and femicide in South Africa. It will further use the key theoretical contributions of Feminist and Hegemonic Masculinity Theories in assisting us to understand violence against women in South Africa. Gender is a critical social issue as it is associatedRead MoreGendered Inequality And Violence Throughout The Arabic Speaking World1917 Words   |  8 PagesGendered Inequality and Violence in the Arabic Speaking World The Arab-speaking world spans across the continent of Africa, and relies heavily on not only the Arabic language, but cultural and religious practices as well. However, with the adoption of Arabian cultures comes the ever-present issue of women’s equality in relation to such beliefs. The gender inequalities in the Arab-speaking world spans from the denial of basic freedoms of women to the sexual terrorism and even femicide because of the heavily