Toxic Masculinity and Violence in South Africa

When attempting to discover the reasons for violence in societies, it has been found that young males are predominantly both the perpetrators as well as the victims of violence,  and this is called the victim-offender overlap (Heber, 2017). This has led to much research being done regarding men, masculinities and violence. Notions of masculinity, and what it means to be a man, seem to be the driving factor behind much of the risky behaviour that males engage in.

In many studies, young men have identified violence as an important way to display power and to prove their masculinity in their communities. Among youth in South Africa there is also a prevalent need for young men to control women in intimate relationships because this is considered essential in affirming their masculinity. Therefore, it is important to gain a comprehensive understanding of the role that masculinity plays in creating violent societies.

Read full article