Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa

Abstract

The links between gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS risk are complex and culturally specific. In this qualitative study we investigated how women and men in two black communities in the Western Cape, South Africa, constructed their gender identities and roles, how they understood gender-based violence, and what they believed about the links between gender relations and HIV risk. First we conducted 16 key informant interviews with members of relevant stakeholder organisations.Then we held eight focus group discussions with community members in single-sex groups. Key findings included the perception that although traditional gender roles were still very much in evidence, shifts in power between men and women were occurring. Also, genderbased violence was regarded as a major problem throughout communities, and was seen to be fuelled by unemployment, poverty and alcohol abuse. HIV/AIDS was regarded as particularly a problem of African communities, with strong themes of stigma, discrimination, and especially ‘othering’ evident. Developing effective HIV/AIDS interventions in these communities will require tackling the overlapping as well as divergent constructions of gender, gender violence and HIV which emerged in the study.

Les liens entre les rôles de genre, la violence contre les femmes et le risque du VIH/SIDA sont complexes et culturellement particuliers. Dans cette étude qualitative, nous avons examiné: comment des hommes et des femmes ont construit des identités et les rôles de genre dans deux communautés noires du Cap de l'Ouest, en Afrique du Sud, comment ont-ils compris la violence contre les femmes et ce qu'ils croyaient des liens entre les relations de sexes et le risque du VIH. Dans un premier temps, nous avons mené 16 entretiens principaux d'informateurs auprès des membres des organismes dépositaires. Ensuite, nous avons eu huit discussions des groupes de foyer avec des membres de la communauté en deux groupes différents, un pour les femmes un autre pour les hommes. Les résultats de recherche ont inclus la perception que: même si les rôles de genre traditionnels restent toujours évidents, il y a aussi le déplacement de pouvoir entre les hommes et les femmes. De plus, la violence contre les femmes était vue comme un problème majeur à travers les communautés et d'être aggravée par le chômage, la pauvreté et l'abus d'alcool. Le VIH/SIDA était considéré particulièrement comme un problème des communautés africaines avec des thèmes fortes de stigmatisation, de discrimination et surtout le ‘othering’ évidents. Le développement des interventions efficaces du VIH/SIDA dans ces communautés va exiger une maîtrise des constructions de genre qui se recouvrent partiellement et qui sont divergentes également, la violence contre les femmes et le VIH qui ont apparu dans cette étude.

Keywords:

• gender roles
• gender-based violence
• HIV/AIDS
• South Africa

Mots clés:

• les rôles de genre
• la violence contre les femmes
• le VIH/SIDA
• l'Afrique du Sud

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Anna Strebel

Anna Strebel is a part-time chief research specialist in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council in Cape Town, South Africa. She is also director of Sekao Headways Research, Training and Development agency. Her current research interests include STI/HIV/AIDS, gender and sexuality, mental health issues, and programme evaluations.

Mary Crawford

Mary Crawford is professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Conneticut, USA, and previously headed a number of women's studies programmes. She has published widely in the field of women and gender, and her current research interests focus on gender, language and communication, in the contexts of health and sexuality.

Tamara Shefer

Tamara Shefer is Director of the Women and Gender Studies programme and professor of psychology at the University of the Western Cape, South Africa. She has extensive research and teaching experience in the field of gender studies, sexuality and HIV/AIDS. She has published widely in these areas, and also edited a number of textbooks for students in the social sciences.

Allanise Cloete

Allanise Cloete is a senior researcher in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council in Cape Town, South Africa. She is currently conducting doctoral work in social anthropology focusing on disclosure decisions of HIV-positive men having sex with men.

Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda

Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda is an anthropologist and researcher in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council in Cape Town, South Africa. Her interest topics include anthropology, culture, gender and HIV.

Michelle Kaufman

Michelle Kaufman is a doctoral student in social psychology at the University of Conneticut, USA. Her research focuses on international women's health isssues, particularly how gender and power affect women's sexual health.

Leickness Simbayi

Leickness Simbayi is a research director in the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Programme. His current research interest lies in the area of applied health psychology, and he is running a number of major research projects on HIV/AIDS behavioural interventions, orphaned and vulnerable children, stigma, and substance abuse. He has published widely in these fields.

Kgobati Magome

Kgobati Magome was until recently attached to the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Programme based at the Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa. She is currently a private consultant.

Seth Kalichman

Seth Kalichman is professor in the Psychology Department at the University of Conneticut. His research focuses on social and behavioural aspects of AIDS, particularly sexual risk behaviour and behavioural intervention research, and he has published extensively in these areas.