Engaging men and boys to prevent gender-based violence in South Africa: possibilities, tensions and debates

ABSTRACT

Drawing on the findings of a qualitative study, this article explores efforts to engage men in preventing gender-based violence in South Africa. The discussion focuses on the perspectives of people who are doing this work, their rationale for engaging men and the various challenges and tensions they encounter. This article concludes that while efforts to engage men are essential, they must be grounded in an intersectional feminist analysis of gendered power relations. The findings reflect broader debates within the gender and development literature around “bringing men in” and may thus be relevant beyond this particular case.

RÉSUMÉ

Cet article examine les résultats d’une étude qualitative sur les efforts visant à impliquer les hommes dans la prévention de la violence sexiste en Afrique du Sud. La discussion se concentre sur la perspective des personnes engagées dans ces efforts, les raisonnements qu’elles mettent de l’avant, les défis auxquels elles sont confrontées et les tensions inhérentes à ce travail. Cet article conclut que même si les efforts pour engager les hommes sont essentiels, ils doivent être enracinés dans une analyse féministe intersectorielle des relations de pouvoir genrées. Ces résultats reflètent des débats plus larges sur l’engagement des hommes dans la littérature sur le genre et le développement et peuvent donc être pertinents au-delà de ce cas particulier.

KEYWORDS:

• Gender-based violence
• engaging men
• gender and development
• violence prevention
• South Africa

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge Dr Theresa Ulicki, Dr Lillian Artz and Dr Jane Parpart for providing support and feedback throughout this research project. The author also wishes to thank the staff at the Gender, Health and Justice Research Unit at the University of Cape Town for hosting her during the field research for this study.

Notes on contributor

Emily Colpitts is a PhD candidate in Gender, Feminist and Women’s Studies at York University. She also holds an MA in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University and a BSc in International Development and Global Studies from the University of Ottawa. Colpitts previously worked at the Gender and Health Promotion Studies Unit at Dalhousie University. Her current research interests include efforts to engage men and boys in preventing gender-based violence and sexual violence policies on Canadian university campuses.

Notes

1 Galtung (1969) defines structural violence as unequal life chances generated by power imbalances.

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Joseph-Armand Bombardier Canada Graduate Scholarship-Master’s Scholarship [766-2012-4167] and a Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada Michael Smith Foreign Study Supplement [771-2013-0005].