An Introduction to Gender-Based Violence and Femicide in South Africa

Gender inequality persists worldwide, depriving women and girls of their basic rights and opportunities. Women and girls everywhere must have equal rights and opportunity and be able to live free of violence and discrimination. The perpetration of men’s violence against women is understood to be a manifestation of historically unequal power relations between men and women. This introductory chapter provides a brief background into an understanding of gender-based violence and femicide (GBVF) in South Africa. It paves the way for an in-depth understanding of the rationale for the book and delves into what the research questions are. By looking at the aims, methodology, and structure of this book, the chapter seeks to highlight how the research question of why GBV persists in the country will be addressed. Overall, this study remains uniquely positioned to shed light on the complex issues of sex, gender, race, power, politics, and their intersections with GBVF.