Chapter 3: Interpretive analysis of GBV in South Africa
3.3. Psychological perspectives
3.3.2. Ecological systems theory
64 aggressive towards their peers. The researcher argues that these children went on to become aggressive towards their peers because they might have been desensitized by violence due to the constant usage of violent video games. This notion of desensitization was mentioned by Ted Bundy in his interview where he mentioned that each time he murdered a woman he became desensitized so that he wanted to murder even more women. The researcher believes that exposure to pornography plays a significant role in leading people to perpetrate sexual violence. Ted Bundy made the following statement about pornography addiction: “The more you get addicted to it, you want more until you reach the point where you want to act it out”
(Q’nqura, 2020). This argument is also supported by Malambo (2016:12) who maintains the following: “Over time, repeated exposure to violence through television, movies, sports, video games and music videos would result in desensitization.”
Another common argument that supports the social learning theory is the belief that those who experience violence are at risk of perpetrating violent acts towards others (Kim, 2019:54). The researcher agrees that this assertion is true to some extent. Although some individuals who experience trauma in childhood are more likely to grow up and project their pain and violence onto others, the researcher argues that if the trauma is dealt with, it can put individuals at a place where they would never subject others to the same hurt they had been subjected to. For example, in the story of the little girl mentioned in chapter two, one of her perpetrators had unhealed wounds from his childhood, and as a result, he developed the belief that he would be satisfied to see someone else going through that same pain. However, for this little girl the response to her traumatic past was the complete opposite of what her perpetrator exhibited.
Instead, the little girl developed a sense of compassion and empathy for those who experience GBV and femicide. This shows how important motivation is when it comes to aggression and perpetrating violent acts towards others.
In the following section, the researcher will discuss further reasons why GBV and femicide remain a problem with specific focus on the ecological systems theory.
65 systems play an integral role in shaping individuals behaviour. These sub-systems are comprised of the microsystem, mesosystem, exosystem and the macrosystem (MacBlain, 2018:66; Wilmhurst, 2017:13). The following diagram shows what each of these systems entails:
Figure 3.4: An expat child has many layers of influence (Mobbs, 2014).
The researcher argues that each of these sub-systems shows that human beings form part of an integrated network. Therefore, when it comes to GBV and femicide, it remains a reality that it occurs because of gaps in each of these systems. These gaps could range from individuals being ill-informed about GBV from the home or school environment to coming from environments that condone violent behaviour (UNODC, 2018:29-30). The values and cultural customs that one holds on to tends to have an impact on how individuals view the notion of violence against women and children. This is supported by Manzanga (2020:52), who argues that “men are culturally and socially expected to seek adventure, even if violence is necessary.”
66 Having grown up in a township, toxic masculinity (Dlamini, 2021:583) continues to be one of the major problems that lead to young women and children being subjected to violence at some point in their lives. In townships young women often go through harassment from their male counterparts. Their culture involves men asking women out and when they decline, these women are often cursed at and in worst case scenarios, they end up being physically assaulted by these men. The researcher recalls a time when she was walking to the shops and an older man made advances on her. When she would not entertain what he was saying, he shouted that he would rape her. Consequently, the researcher was always afraid to walk alone or wear certain clothes due to the objectification that women in her community experience from males when they are wearing clothes such as dresses or shorts. It is a sad reality that these behaviours continue to be supported and condoned in our communities and within our home environments (Dlamini, 2021:583).
Most women in this community where the researcher grew up remained in abusive relationships because of financial dependence. According to most scholars, it has been found that financial dependence is one of the main reasons that women continue to go back to abusive situations (Barnett et al., 2016:455; Mbunge, 2020:1811; UNODC, 2018:44). This statement was supported by one of the women who was interviewed in Jeffery Epstein’s case, who maintained that she kept going back to him because she was in need of financial support (60 Minutes Australia, 2019). This aspect of financial dependence remained at the core of Jeffery Epstein’s modus operandi, because he targeted women from poor communities and lured women into a human trafficking ring because they were in need of financial security (60 Minutes Australia, 2019). Recently, in most communities, individuals fall victim to violence because of mob justice (Kabongo, 2021:3; Tripp, 2010:13). Another factor that is common ground in places like Limpopo and the Eastern Cape, is that older women are often murdered because of witchcraft accusations (Baloyi, 2014:1; Petrus, 2011:1; UNODC, 2018:34). For example, in the Eastern Cape, an 81-year-old woman was stripped naked and beaten due to witchcraft accusations (Shange, 2021). Furthermore, gender norms (Barnett, 2016:449;
UNODC, 2018:23) regarding men and women play a role in GBV and femicide. Men are painted as strong, aggressive, powerful, unemotional, and controlling as opposed to females, who are viewed as weak, nurturing, powerless, dependent on men, and submissive (Manzanga, 2020:53-54).
From this statement it becomes evident that gender inequality (Gaffoor et al., 2013:1, Manzanga, 2020:47), patriarchy (Chisale, 2020:2; Manzanga, 2020:32; Sande, 2019:2), social
67 and cultural norms (Manzanga, 2020:56; Muluneh et al., 2020:3) play an integral part in the perpetration of GBV and femicide in South Africa. Therefore, the researcher believes that these gender norms and thought patterns need to be challenged in order for the GBV and femicide scourge to be prevented to some extent.
The following diagram is a simpler form of the ecological systems theory which is used by most scholars. It takes into consideration personal, relational, communal and societal factors that play a role in the perpetration of GBV and femicide.
Figure 3.5: Preventing Gender-Based Violence Post- Disasters: Building the capacity of humanitarian actors in the Philippines to engage with men and boys to reduce the risks of perpetration of violence (Mollin, 2018:24).
Although the diagram shows some of the most common reasons for violence, the researcher believes that a gap still exists. Figure 3.5 does not address the role that pornography addiction
68 can play in the perpetration of GBV and femicide. This is something that most men and women have been exposed to at some point in their lives, and as mentioned previously, it has the potential to influence behaviour. Pornography depicts women as sexual objects and it sends out the message that all women should be treated in that manner (Davis, 2013:10;
Papadopoulos, 2010:8). In reality, most women seen in pornographic videos have been subjected to rape and human-trafficking (Luzwick, 2017:355). This statement has been supported by Dlamini (2021:584) who stated the following: “Advancement in technology has added cyber-violence against women as another channel for GBV.”
This is an accurate statement which clearly shows that technology is an important factor in the perpetration of violence. With the ever-increasing rates of social media, people tend to be susceptible and exposed to all kinds of inappropriate material through the sharing of inappropriate adult content. Young women are often lured into sexual exploitation due to advertisements of false job opportunities on various social media outlets. Some fall victim to GBV as a result of allowing dates from men/women on social media or dating apps.
Paediatricians have found that there is a direct link between the early use of pornography and sexual assaults being committed later in life. It has been found that “children under twelve years’ old who have viewed pornography are statistically more likely to sexually assault their peers” (Jenson, 2015).
Another gap which is not mentioned in this diagram is that some individuals are more likely to commit violent crimes because they own weapons. Research has shown a direct link between the ownership of handguns and the perpetration of femicide (WHO, 2012:6). Furthermore, this research study of the WHO showed that women who own guns often do this as a mode of self- defence (WHO, 2012:6). This supports the claim made by scholars that in some cases individuals perpetrate GBV as a means to protect themselves from being subjected to abuse and violence. Other factors that lead to GBV and femicide include jealousy, arguments and misunderstandings, infidelity, break-ups/divorce, fear of abandonment and mental health issues (UNODC, 2018:38). In some cases, women are murdered to spare families from embarrassment after they get pregnant from a rape (UNODC, 2018:30). In some communities GBV and femicide occur due to individuals falling outside the societal norm. This tends to put those who identify as part of the LGBTQ community and those who are sex-workers at risk of experiencing violent behaviour (UNODC, 2018:33-35).
69 The researcher believes that these are some of the known factors that play a role in GBV and femicide but due to the complexity of the issue, it is hard to name all the factors that play a role because the perpetrators’ motivations are not always clear.
Due to the theological foundation of this study, the researcher will go on to investigate biblical perspectives which can be applied in understanding the reasons GBV and femicide continue to be a problem in South Africa.