Intimate partner violence among male couples in South Africa and Namibia
OUTPUT TYPE: Journal Article
PUBLICATION YEAR: 2020
TITLE AUTHOR(S): R.Stephenson, L.A.Darbes, T.Chavanduka, Z.Essack, H.Van Rooyen
KEYWORDS: NAMIBIA, PARTNER VIOLENCE, PARTNERSHIPS (PERSONAL)
DEPARTMENT: Public Health, Societies and Belonging (HSC), Impact Centre (IC), Impact Centre (PRESS), Impact Centre (CC)
Print: HSRC Library: shelf number 11618
HANDLE: 20.500.11910/15507
URI: http://hdl.handle.net/20.500.11910/15507
If you would like to obtain a copy of this Research Output, please contact Hanlie Baudin at researchoutputs@hsrc.ac.za.
Abstract
Despite the growing body of evidence demonstrating the high prevalence of intimate partner violence (IPV) among male couples and the unique antecedents to IPV that male couples may experience, research efforts have focused almost exclusively on North American populations. Missing from the literature is an understanding of the experience of IPV among male couples in African nations where social norms and legal restrictions around same-sex behavior may be more conservative. This paper presents data from an innovative study of male couples (Together Tomorrow) from two Southern African countries characterized by high prevalence of HIV: Namibia and South Africa. A one-time cross-sectional survey was conducted with 140 partnered MSM (70 couples) in Namibia and 300 partnered MSM (150 couples) in KZN, South Africa, for a total sample size of 440 partnered MSM (220 couples). Surveys measured the recent (12 month) experience of physical, sexual and emotional IPV and the experience of sexuality-related stressors. Reporting of IPV was relatively low: 7.3% reported being the victim of IPV from their male partner in the 12 months prior to the survey, and 10.2% reported participating in bi-directional IPV in their relationship in the previous 12 months. Men who reported different experiences of internalized homophobia and external acts of discrimination were more likely to report IPV and bi-directional IPV. The results offer several potential intervention points to disrupt pathways between stigma and IPV for partnered MSM in South Africa and Namibia, and point to the need for services for this critically overlooked population.-
Related Research Outputs:
- Southern Africa: a review of the region
- Demarcating the new provinces: a critical reflection of the process
- Globalization and emerging trends in African states' foreign policy-making process
- Research visit to Namibia, Zambia and Botswana
- The use of ICTs in the curriculum in Botswana, Namibia and Seychelles
- The use of ICTs in curricula in Botswana, Namibia and Seychelles
- Violence against women and its mental health consequences in Namibia
- Partner violence, attitudes to child discipline & use of corporal punishment: a South African national survey
- Partner violence high in South Africa, says new study
- Namibia: repositioning vocational education and training
- Partner violence
- Intimate partner violence as a factor associated with risky sexual behaviours and alcohol misuse among men
- Partner violence: a national survey
- Intimate partner violence and HIV risk among women in primary health care delivery services in Vhembe district, South Africa
- Q-squared approaches to pro-poor policy formulation in Namibia
- A q-squared approach to pro-poor policy formulation in Namibia
- Costs of information and communication technology in developing country school systems: the experience of Botswana, Namibia and Seychelles
- Dynamics of income inequality and poverty in post-independence Namibia
- Combined methods in poverty analysis: experiences from Namibia
- A review of poverty and inequality in Namibia