South Africa has a female homicide rate six times the global average, with half of murdered women... more South Africa has a female homicide rate six times the global average, with half of murdered women killed by an intimate partner. The gendered nature of such murders indicates the need to explore the masculinities of men who kill an intimate partner. This paper explores the childhoods of 20 men who were incarcerated for such murders and draws on 74 in-depth interviews with these men, family and friends. This study found that traumatic childhood experiences increases emotional vulnerability, resulting in their feeling unloved, insecure and powerless. We argue that they adopt violent forms of masculinities to achieve respect and power. Yet, there is no linear relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and adopting violent masculinities.
The killing of a woman by her partner is the most extreme consequence of intimate partner violenc... more The killing of a woman by her partner is the most extreme consequence of intimate partner violence. Monitoring such violence provides insights on the impact of laws, policies and programs for gender-based violence prevention. In this research brief we compare the results of two South African national studies that described prevalence and patterns of female homicide and intimate femicide in 1999 and 2009.
Historical and current patterns documenting intimate partner violence (IPV) consistently demonstr... more Historical and current patterns documenting intimate partner violence (IPV) consistently demonstrate higher prevalence in Southeast Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, and African world regions (Devries et al. 2013) as well as among indigenous women around the world (see Chapter 10 this volume). Focusing specifically on intimate partner homicide, international studies show that more than 38% of female victims of homicide are killed by an intimate partner compared to 6% of men (Stockl et al. 2013). Such numbers are likely an underestimate, given the majority of studies have been conducted in developed countries with little information from other parts of the world (Stockl et al. 2014). The dearth of information, coupled with the greater risk of IPV in those regions, underscores the potential for more accurate tracking and the violence prevention role that may be played by domestic violence death review teams.
Homicide of children is a global problem. The under-5-y age group is the second largest homicide ... more Homicide of children is a global problem. The under-5-y age group is the second largest homicide age group after 15-19 y olds, but has received little research attention. Understanding age and gender patterns is important for assisting with developing prevention interventions. Here we present an age and gender analysis of homicides among children under 5 y in South Africa from a national study that included a focus on neonaticide and infanticide. A retrospective national cross-sectional study was conducted using a random sample of 38 medico-legal laboratories operating in 2009 to identify homicides of children under 5 y. Child data were abstracted from the mortuary files and autopsy reports, and both child and perpetrator data data were collected from police interviews. We erred towards applying a conservative definition of homicide and excluded sudden infant death syndrome cases. We estimated that 454 (95% CI 366, 541) children under the age of 5 y were killed in South Africa in 20...
ABSTRACT Intimate femicide, the killing of a woman by an intimate partner, is the leading cause o... more ABSTRACT Intimate femicide, the killing of a woman by an intimate partner, is the leading cause of female murder in South Africa. Research on men who kill in South Africa has highlighted the psychological damage caused by exposure to severe adversity in childhood, but this alone does not explain the gendered context of these murders. This article presents analyses from in-depth interviews with 20 incarcerated men who killed their partners and explores their views on and relationships with women. We show that the men sought to perform exaggerated versions of predominant ideals of masculinity, emphasizing an extreme control of and dominance over women. We show killing as an ultimate means of taking back control in a context where gendered relationships legitimize men's use of violence to assert power and control. Interventions to prevent intimate femicide need to be highly cognisant of the gendered context.
Data for the Western Cape province and the literature on risk factors for interpersonal violence ... more Data for the Western Cape province and the literature on risk factors for interpersonal violence were reviewed with a view to providing policy makers with an inventory of appropriate interventions.
The Children’s Institute (CI) was established in 2001 as a multi-disciplinary policy research uni... more The Children’s Institute (CI) was established in 2001 as a multi-disciplinary policy research unit located in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Cape Town built on the foundation of its predecessor the Child Health Policy Institute (CHPI). The founding goal of the CI was to “promote effective development of policies and interventions” that address the major needs of children and to realise rights for all children in South Africa. The CI was established with the specific intention to conduct child focused policy research, teaching and advocacy aimed at improving the situation of children and adolescents. Of major concern to the Children's Institute is the high level of violence experienced by children in South Africa. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CROC) has called on “all States parties to move quickly to prohibit and eliminate all corporal punishment...as a key strategy for reducing and preventing all forms of violence in societies”. T...
South Africa has a female homicide rate six times the global average, with half of murdered women... more South Africa has a female homicide rate six times the global average, with half of murdered women killed by an intimate partner. The gendered nature of such murders indicates the need to explore the masculinities of men who kill an intimate partner. This paper explores the childhoods of 20 men who were incarcerated for such murders and draws on 74 in-depth interviews with these men, family and friends. This study found that traumatic childhood experiences increases emotional vulnerability, resulting in their feeling unloved, insecure and powerless. We argue that they adopt violent forms of masculinities to achieve respect and power. Yet, there is no linear relationship between traumatic childhood experiences and adopting violent masculinities.
The killing of a woman by her partner is the most extreme consequence of intimate partner violenc... more The killing of a woman by her partner is the most extreme consequence of intimate partner violence. Monitoring such violence provides insights on the impact of laws, policies and programs for gender-based violence prevention. In this research brief we compare the results of two South African national studies that described prevalence and patterns of female homicide and intimate femicide in 1999 and 2009.
Historical and current patterns documenting intimate partner violence (IPV) consistently demonstr... more Historical and current patterns documenting intimate partner violence (IPV) consistently demonstrate higher prevalence in Southeast Asia, the Eastern Mediterranean, and African world regions (Devries et al. 2013) as well as among indigenous women around the world (see Chapter 10 this volume). Focusing specifically on intimate partner homicide, international studies show that more than 38% of female victims of homicide are killed by an intimate partner compared to 6% of men (Stockl et al. 2013). Such numbers are likely an underestimate, given the majority of studies have been conducted in developed countries with little information from other parts of the world (Stockl et al. 2014). The dearth of information, coupled with the greater risk of IPV in those regions, underscores the potential for more accurate tracking and the violence prevention role that may be played by domestic violence death review teams.
Homicide of children is a global problem. The under-5-y age group is the second largest homicide ... more Homicide of children is a global problem. The under-5-y age group is the second largest homicide age group after 15-19 y olds, but has received little research attention. Understanding age and gender patterns is important for assisting with developing prevention interventions. Here we present an age and gender analysis of homicides among children under 5 y in South Africa from a national study that included a focus on neonaticide and infanticide. A retrospective national cross-sectional study was conducted using a random sample of 38 medico-legal laboratories operating in 2009 to identify homicides of children under 5 y. Child data were abstracted from the mortuary files and autopsy reports, and both child and perpetrator data data were collected from police interviews. We erred towards applying a conservative definition of homicide and excluded sudden infant death syndrome cases. We estimated that 454 (95% CI 366, 541) children under the age of 5 y were killed in South Africa in 20...
ABSTRACT Intimate femicide, the killing of a woman by an intimate partner, is the leading cause o... more ABSTRACT Intimate femicide, the killing of a woman by an intimate partner, is the leading cause of female murder in South Africa. Research on men who kill in South Africa has highlighted the psychological damage caused by exposure to severe adversity in childhood, but this alone does not explain the gendered context of these murders. This article presents analyses from in-depth interviews with 20 incarcerated men who killed their partners and explores their views on and relationships with women. We show that the men sought to perform exaggerated versions of predominant ideals of masculinity, emphasizing an extreme control of and dominance over women. We show killing as an ultimate means of taking back control in a context where gendered relationships legitimize men's use of violence to assert power and control. Interventions to prevent intimate femicide need to be highly cognisant of the gendered context.
Data for the Western Cape province and the literature on risk factors for interpersonal violence ... more Data for the Western Cape province and the literature on risk factors for interpersonal violence were reviewed with a view to providing policy makers with an inventory of appropriate interventions.
The Children’s Institute (CI) was established in 2001 as a multi-disciplinary policy research uni... more The Children’s Institute (CI) was established in 2001 as a multi-disciplinary policy research unit located in the Faculty of Health Sciences of the University of Cape Town built on the foundation of its predecessor the Child Health Policy Institute (CHPI). The founding goal of the CI was to “promote effective development of policies and interventions” that address the major needs of children and to realise rights for all children in South Africa. The CI was established with the specific intention to conduct child focused policy research, teaching and advocacy aimed at improving the situation of children and adolescents. Of major concern to the Children's Institute is the high level of violence experienced by children in South Africa. The United Nations Committee on the Rights of the Child (CROC) has called on “all States parties to move quickly to prohibit and eliminate all corporal punishment...as a key strategy for reducing and preventing all forms of violence in societies”. T...
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