Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa
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 gend...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Taylor & Francis Group
2006-11-01
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| Series: | SAHARA-J |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17290376.2006.9724879 |
| _version_ | 1817993566889181184 |
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| author | Anna Strebel Mary Crawford Tamara Shefer Allanise Cloete Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda Michelle Kaufman Leickness Simbayi Kgobati Magome Seth Kalichman |
| author_facet | Anna Strebel Mary Crawford Tamara Shefer Allanise Cloete Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda Michelle Kaufman Leickness Simbayi Kgobati Magome Seth Kalichman |
| author_sort | Anna Strebel |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | 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. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:41:38Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-ab646193d5204d81b72fe0368112b9f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1729-0376 1813-4424 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-14T01:41:38Z |
| publishDate | 2006-11-01 |
| publisher | Taylor & Francis Group |
| record_format | Article |
| series | SAHARA-J |
| spelling | doaj.art-ab646193d5204d81b72fe0368112b9f02022-12-22T02:19:45ZengTaylor & Francis GroupSAHARA-J1729-03761813-44242006-11-013351652810.1080/17290376.2006.9724879Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South AfricaAnna Strebel0Mary Crawford1Tamara Shefer2Allanise Cloete3Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda4Michelle Kaufman5Leickness Simbayi6Kgobati Magome7Seth Kalichman8Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South AfricaPsychology Department, University of Conneticut, USAWomen and Gender Studies Programme, University of the Western Cape, South AfricaSocial Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South AfricaSocial Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council, Cape Town, South AfricaUniversity of Conneticut, USASocial Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research ProgrammeSocial Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Programme of the Human Sciences Research Council, Pretoria, South AfricaPsychology Department, University of Conneticut, USAThe 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.https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17290376.2006.9724879gender rolesgender-based violenceHIV/AIDSSouth Africales rôles de genrela violence contre les femmes |
| spellingShingle | Anna Strebel Mary Crawford Tamara Shefer Allanise Cloete Nomvo Dwadwa-Henda Michelle Kaufman Leickness Simbayi Kgobati Magome Seth Kalichman Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa SAHARA-J gender roles gender-based violence HIV/AIDS South Africa les rôles de genre la violence contre les femmes |
| title | Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full | Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_short | Social constructions of gender roles, gender-based violence and HIV/AIDS in two communities of the Western Cape, South Africa |
| title_sort | social constructions of gender roles gender based violence and hiv aids in two communities of the western cape south africa |
| topic | gender roles gender-based violence HIV/AIDS South Africa les rôles de genre la violence contre les femmes |
| url | https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/10.1080/17290376.2006.9724879 |
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