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South Africa has one of the highest femicide rates in the world
Photo: Lee-Ann Olwage / DER SPIEGEL
SPIEGEL:
How likely is it that a woman in South Africa will become a victim of violence?
Abrahams:
Unfortunately, there is no national study on this, but smaller surveys among vulnerable population groups.
They exposed a really high level of violence.
Up to 60 percent of women said they had experienced violence in the past year.
Ten years ago, a study was also conducted among men in which they were asked about rape.
It turned out that almost a third of the men had raped their partner or another person.
And we know that South Africa's rate of femicide—that is, the killing of women—is five times the world average.
SPIEGEL:
Ms. Abrahams, the number of femicides in South Africa has decreased in recent years, but according to the latest police statistics, it is currently increasing again.
Why is that?
Abrahams:
There was also an increase in homicides involving men.
It is very likely that both are related.
We can't explain it exactly yet.
But there is some evidence that it could be related to laxer gun controls.
We know alcohol can play a role.
But it's frustrating either way: we experts thought we could finally tell a success story, that the murders of women were steadily declining.
The more recent statistics are a major setback.
SPIEGEL:
Why are the murder rates so high in South Africa?
Abrahams:
This culture of violence is related to the history of our country.
We come from a system of oppression, the time of the liberation struggle was characterized by violence, the apartheid regime ruled with extreme brutality and shattered our society.
People were evicted from where they used to live and taken to crowded places like the Cape Flats, where gangsterism still thrives today.
Apartheid still has an impact on the way we deal with conflict.
During this time it was all about survival through strength and dominance.
Humans couldn't just be human.
The only place Black men could wield power was in their own families, behind closed doors.
And all the social injustices continue.
Many young men see violence as a sign of masculinity, sometimes it's all they have left.
They strike to dominate others.
Women are the easiest opponents.
This gives them recognition from their peers.
SPIEGEL:
Isn't there violence against women in the richer areas too?
Abrahams:
We all know that violence happens across all walks of life.
Women who live in fancy homes and are married to financially successful men are more likely to hide their abuse.
They have a lot more to lose by reporting violence.
And their husbands are usually very powerful and have a lot of control over the women, so they can get away with it.
But in general, violence against women is much more prevalent in populations affected by poverty.
Unemployment and alcohol abuse are much more common there – reasons for violent behavior.
SPIEGEL:
What measures could actually make a difference?
Abrahams:
We know that we have to focus more on education.
First of all, structural things have to be addressed.
It's not just about building shelters or distributing food packages or training women to get jobs.
It's about the big things, the laws.
We need political leadership.
There has been a lot of lip service from politicians in the past, but that now seems to be changing.
And we need to invest in prevention.
A major focus right now is supporting women who are already in abusive relationships.
We want to prevent them from becoming victims of femicide.
We want them to be protected.
But we also need to change fundamental gender norms, the way men look at women and vice versa.
To do this, we have to work with children in particular.
Children are shaped very early in their parents' homes.
They either become victims or perpetrators, and we must break this cycle.
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