Cape Town - A recent survey by CompariSure, a financial technology company, has revealed that gender-based violence may be even more severe than current observations by many organisations.
The survey, which was conducted over a period of two months with 531 respondents, follows on the heels of the release of the third-quarter crime statistics, which revealed a 5% increase in reported sexual offences.
The survey revealed that 52% of respondents said that they currently feel anxious and nervous around their partners, while 40% of women aged between 25 and 35 said they were being isolated from their families by a partner, and 32% have been threatened with harm by their partner.
Furthermore, 25% said they were afraid of voicing a different opinion to their partner and that their partners threaten to kill themselves if they should leave them, while 15% of respondents said they are hiding bruises, cuts and scratches.
Monique Elliott from CompariSure said the psychological knock-on effects of this trauma were far-reaching and that this was exacerbated by the fact that many were confined in homes than ever before. She said the level of emotional abuse revealed in the survey was extremely worrying.
“Fuelling this feeling of isolation and guilt are threats from abusive partners. This is a level of emotional abuse that not only does incredible psychological harm to victims, but it has pervasive effects on one’s ability to function in the workplace and be a productive member of society.
“Given the findings, it is no surprise that a quarter of our respondents said that they were afraid of voicing a different opinion to their partner,” she said.
Elliot said while all incidents of GBV needed to be reported to the police, the reality on the ground was that there was little that law enforcement could do about emotional abuse of this kind.
“There is, however, an opportunity for the private sector to play a key role here (by) continuing to raise awareness around the types of GBV in an effort to decrease the fear and stigma cycle,” she said.
National Shelter Movement co-ordinator Mariam Mangera said the police had many challenges to address in assisting victims of domestic and intimate partner violence which, she said, was a problem that had been noted by the civil society sector for many years.
Provincial National Shelter Movement member Bernadine Bachar said South Africa was characterised by significant under-reporting when it came to GBV, particularly sexual assault. Bachar said the recently released statistics were not reflective of the reality that was faced by women in South Africa at present.
Elliott said private companies were in the best position to make a difference and to help drive the right solutions.
Cape Argus