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Domestic violence in South Africa

Domestic violence in South Africa has been viewed as a private matter until the last few decades. With the recent focus on the Oscar Pistoris case, more people have started looking at the problem. Legislation has been passed to help improve he quality of life for those being abused and to prevent further abuse. Although it is a newer movement, only being around since the 1990s, it is making great strides in the country. In the 2012 financial year, just over one third of the crimes against women that had been reported were prosecuted in court.

Domestic Violence
The South African Domestic Violence Act 1998 defines domestic violence as: “…Physical abuse, sexual abuse: emotional verbal and psychological abuse; economic abuse; intimidation; harassment; stalking; damage to property; entering into the compliments residence without consent where the parties do not share the same residence; and any other controlling or abusive behavior towards a complainant where such conduct harms, or my cause immediate harm to, the safety, health or wellbeing of the complainant.” Based off of this definition, it is important to remember all factors when researching the topic of domestic violence.

Domestic violence cannot be defined by one specific act done by another partner. It doesn’t matter which gender is being victimized because it can affect both. It ranges from various actions from small physical abuse to rape of a spouse, or marital rape. Domestic violence can also be known as intimate partner abuse, domestic abuse, spousal abuse, and family violence. Domestic violence is not always physical but also includes emotional abused. Domestic violence, intimate partner abuse, abuse, emotional abuse, domestic abuse

Background
The South African Medical Council released a study saying that out of the 1394 men interviewed, 50% of the males did physically abuse their female partners at their homes The problem of domestic violence will continue until society stops turning a blind eye onto what is happening in an individuals home. South Africa has seen a very violent change in the government since the apartheid. Many times, the violence is not always expected from a partner. Considering how recently domestic violence has come to light, it is still considered an early movement. The United Nations found that violence against women was a universal problem.

Prevalence
It is hard to gather accurate statistical data in South Africa because domestic violence is rarely reported. Anyone who is in a relationship with someone else is at risk for domestic violence. In some areas of the country, domestic violence does have a higher rate. On average, in a cross-sectional study, the women who were abused came from a lower secondary education and were unemployed. The same study indicated that 9.5 percent of women reported being abused within the past year; in some areas of the country it rose to 28.4 percent of women who reported being abused. In 2013, 50 percent of the women surveyed reported that they had suffered emotional and verbal abuse. Of the women who were in violent relationships, 45.9 percent of them reported injury. In the same study it was found that typically the women who do witness and feel the violence come from a rural childhood compared to those raised in an urban area. Although there are many places that do offer help to those suffering from domestic violence, those resources are more available in urban areas. In rural areas it is harder to come across proper resources. Nearly half of the female murders that happened in 1999 in South Africa resulted from domestic violence. The percentage of women who reported experiencing domestic violence at least once in their lifetime is as high as 59 percent.

Rape
South Africa was once called the "rape capital of the world" when less than 1% of rapes that occur are reported to the police. The South African Medical Research Council did an electronic anonymous survey, interviewing just over 1,700 men, that found that one in four males had raped, 73% of those men surveyed had been raped before he age of 20.

Advocacy in South Africa
Many successful policies have been put in place to help, mostly women, find help escape or refuge from the violence. As South Africa continues to face a growing problem of AIDS and other HIVs circulating the nation, the problem grows by 1,500 people a day. Human rights throughout the world have viewed sexual violence as a negative situation. After the United Nations held multiple human rights conventions (including the World Conference on Human Rights (1993), International Conference on Population and Development (1994), and the Fourth World Conference on Women (1995)) the global agenda for violence against women changed ,

Legal actions in South Africa
Within South Africa, the 1996 Constitution says in section 12c that:

“Everyone has the right to freedom and security of person, that includes the right to be free from violence from either public and private sources.”

The constitution also takes time to highlight that South Africa is based on “non-sexism” values. In 1998, South Africa created the Domestic Violence Act to try and protect those who are being abused or might be forced into a situation that could become harmful in the future. At this time, the biggest assistance to women came from the Protection Order that derives from the Domestic Violent Act. The Order allows the courts to stop an abuser from continuing abuse. The collaboration process between representatives of the Department of Justice, Safety and Security, Health Education, Welfare, Correctional Services and the National Directorate for Public Prosecution was a delaying factor that slowed down the process of changing the policies. Other reforms that were created were to sentence mandatory minimal time for specific types of rape under the Criminal Law Amendment Act 1997.

Famous Cases of Domestic Violence in South Africa
Oscar Pistorius was accused and charged with killing his girl friend on February 14, 2014. The "Blade Runner", as he is known, shot 30 year old supermodel Reeva Steenkamp through the bathroom door of their home. Oscar Pistorius stated that he believed it was an intruder in the bathroom, and not his girlfriend, after hearing the sound of the window being opened. The couple had been together since 2012 after attending an award show together. Pistorius previous girlfriend, super model Pumza Fihlani, was put on the stand during the trial to testify about Pistorius gun use prior to the February 14 shooting. In Fihlani's statement she described Pistorius always having his had gun with him, even when visiting friends, and frequently waking up in the night fearful of having heard intruders.

Actress Charlie Theron grew up in a home where she witnessed such abuse. She is known for starring in various movies such as the Italian Job, Snow White and the Huntsmen, and Hancock. Theron grew up outside Johannesburg, South Africa with her mother and father. Theron's father was a drunk and threatened her and her mother one night. During that incident Theron's mother shot and killed the father, but was not charged because it was ruled as self defense.