Relationship impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions on young women and men in Durban and Soweto, South Africa

Abstract

To deepen our understanding of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on intimate and/or sexual relationships, we conducted a qualitative study among 26 South African women and men aged 21–30 years in Durban and Soweto between September 2020 and March 2021. Overall, 13 women and 12 men who had been in an intimate and/or sexual relationship since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic were asked about the impact of COVID-19 on their relationships with their current or most recent primary partners. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The three most common impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on relationships were on (i) communication and connection; (ii) strained relationships; and (iii) job and economic loss. Both women and men discussed how COVID-19-related lockdowns provided opportunities to foster better communication, connection and support to one another. However, too little or too much time together strained relationships. Finally, income loss among young men meant that some young women became the primary income earner, changing relationship power dynamics. Findings highlight the importance of young people’s relationships and the need for action to support young people in building positive relationships in challenging times.

Keywords:

• COVID-19
• intimate relationships
• sexual relationships
• South Africa
• gender

Acknowledgements

We extend heartfelt gratitude to the young people who generously shared their stories with the research team. The authors express their appreciation to members of the Perinatal HIV Research Unit (PHRU) and the Maternal Adolescent and Child Health Research Unit (MRU)’s Adolescent Community Advisory Board (ACAB) for valuable feedback on the study’s findings. Special thanks go to staff at the MRU and PHRU for their support in facilitating data collection and the logistics of this study.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 We use the term intimate and/or sexual relationship throughout when we talk about young people’s relationships that involve closeness and connection with a single partner or multiple partners that goes beyond sexual intimacy.

2 All participant names are pseudonyms to protect confidentiality.

Additional information

Funding

This work was made possible by an International Development Research Centre (IDRC) Doctoral Research Award and funding from the University of British Columbia’s Public Scholars initiative. KC was also supported by a Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR) Vanier Canadian Doctoral Scholarship during data collection and is now supported by a CIHR Banting Postdoctoral Fellowship. The work reported herein for JJD was made possible through funding from the South African Medical Research Council’s Postdoctoral Programme from funding received from the National Treasury as well as a CIPHER Leaders of Tomorrow grant from the International AIDS Society. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent those of the IDRC or its Board of Governors.