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Gender-based violence (GBV) remains a major human rights violation and a serious public health concern affecting women worldwide. Approximately one in three women globally experiences physical or sexual violence during their lifetime. In South Africa, the prevalence of gender-based violence is particularly high, exposing many women to significant physical, psychological, and emotional harm. Female nurses are a vulnerable group because they may experience violence in both their personal lives and professional environments. Their frequent interaction with patients, patients' families, and the broader public can increase their risk of meeting violent or aggressive behaviour within healthcare settings. Exposure to such experiences may negatively affect nurses' psychological well-being, job performance, and overall quality of life. The study explores the psychological effects of exposure to gender-based violence among female nurses in South Africa. The study aimed at examining how exposure to GBV influenced nurses' mental and emotional well-being as well as their ability to function effectively in their professional roles. The study adopted a qualitative desktop research approach to examine existing literature related to gender-based violence and its psychological impact on female nurses. Relevant peer-reviewed journal articles, academic books, government reports, and policy documents were reviewed and analysed. The data collected were analysed using thematic analysis to find key patterns and themes within the literature. The study looked to enhance understanding of the psychological challenges faced by female nurses and to highlight the importance of workplace interventions, support systems, and policies that promote nurses' safety and mental well-being in healthcare environments. Institutional Review Board Statement: Ethical review and approval were waived for this study because the research does not deal with vulnerable groups or sensitive issues.

Gender-based violence undermines women's safety, dignity, and socioeconomic participation, particularly in rural communities where access to formal protection services may be constrained. This study examined how the Lunungwi Royal Council contributes to a culturally grounded rural protection ecosystem in Thulamela Local Municipality, South Africa. Guided by Afrocentricity, Sankofa, ecosystem theory, and collaborative governance, the study adopted an interpretive qualitative case-study design. Nine participants were purposively selected, comprising six Royal Council members, a community-based participant, a young representative, and an Indigenous knowledge holder. Data were generated through individual face-to-face semi-structured interviews and analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. The findings indicate that the Council provides culturally accessible reporting, temporary safety, mediation, moral education, and connections with community policing and social-service structures. Its effectiveness is constrained by limited professional training, unclear institutional boundaries, informal referral arrangements, inadequate documentation, social pressure, and women's economic dependence. The study proposes a Culturally Grounded Rural Protection Ecosystem Framework integrating Indigenous governance, community protection, statutory, professional services, economic empowerment, and coordinated accountability. Cultural legitimacy can strengthen GBV responses when combined with survivor-centred procedures, constitutional accountability, and women's socioeconomic agency.

Gender-based violence (GBV) against women is one of the most widespread and long-established social issues in South Africa that is conditioned by historical, cultural, and structural factors that have created a normalized environment of male dominance and accepted different types of gendered violence. This study provides a sociological explanation of GBV in terms of power and patriarchy and structural inequality area and how these interconnected factors create and maintain violence in intimate relationships, families, and the broader social institution. Using the feminist theory, intersectionality and sociological theory of power relations, the research questions the role of cultural norms, economic dependence, socialisation process as well as institutional failures in causing high incidences of violence against women. However, even after the enactment of progressive laws, including Domestic Violence Act, Sexual Offences Act, etc, the lived conditions of women still portray the vulnerabilities of the system to historical disparities, deep-rooted patriarchal philosophies and gender hierarchies. A qualitative research design was used to gather the data, where in-depth interviews, focus group and documentary analysis of women who have experienced GBV, community members and key informants including social workers, activists and legal practitioners were used to collect data. It shows that the patriarchal systems of power exist on a variety of levels family, community, cultural and institutional to naturalize violence, victimize the victim, and absolve the criminal. Results participants affirm the importance of social norms of masculinity, poverty, inequality in access to resources, and inadequate institutional responses in perpetuating fear, dependence, and subsequent exposure to violence within women. In addition, the study demonstrates how the combination of poverty, race, rurality, and social support services worsen the vulnerability of women, which leads to a reflexive relationship in which violence turns into an individual and societal problem. This study concludes that GBV in South Africa cannot be examined solely as the instances of violence but should be examined as the expression of unequal power relations, which can be found within social structures. The solution to GBV would therefore have to be multi-level and involves efforts to confront patriarchal norms, foster community accountability, bolster legal protection, and increase socio-economic opportunities of women. The results add to the existing pool of sociological research on the topic of gender and violence, providing an important insight into the reasons why GBV continues to be a problem and the changes in the structure that are required in order to mitigate it.

Domestic violence remains one of the most widespread social crises that not only imposes silence on the survivors but also hides the transformational potential inherent in their accounts of perseverance, spirituality, and emotional healing. The purpose of this enquiry is to critique a method for examining how survivors map along these pathways and how spiritual resources, emotional strength, and personal narrative reconfiguration are pertinent to their recovery, using the desktop method.  The study entailed an in-depth review of the existing academic literature, policy manuals, and theoretical frameworks on the problems of trauma, spirituality, and healing of victims of domestic violence.  According to the results, the healing process experienced by most survivors is a multidimensional phenomenon that is based on the synthesis of spiritual practices, emotional strength, and identity restoration. Supportive communities, faith traditions, and cultural settings have also been noted in the available literature as service-oriented in assisting survivors to communicate their unpleasant pasts.  The lessons teach that healing is not an individual process but rather a shared one that takes place within a collective, and that it is shaped by the resources of social and spiritual support that survivors possess.  The importance of this study is that it can help appreciate the role of survivors' spiritual and emotional journeys in influencing the practitioner's actions at the policymaking level. The research would be useful in providing practical advice to the academia, religious leaders, and policymakers who can guide their actions in establishing a mechanism of adequate provision to address the holistic needs of victims of domestic violence.

This paper investigates the role of traditional leaders (Mahosi) in addressing gender-based violence (GBV) in the Vhembe District of Limpopo in South Africa. Grounded by Community-based social change theory (CBSC) and informed by gender theory and it explains how the Mahosi are dealing with GBV within cultural and social constructs of their own environments. Through qualitative interviews with ten Mahosi across five municipalities, the research identifies three key strategies: promoting community dialogue, applying cultural accountability mechanisms, and collaborating with formal service providers. While some Mahosi demonstrate transformative leadership by adapting traditional norms and supporting survivors, others reinforce patriarchal structures that may undermine justice and silence victims. The study also reflects on how hegemonic masculinity and gendered power relations influence these responses. Findings suggest that traditional leadership can be both a facilitator of justice and a barrier to gender equality, depending on the level of critical engagement and partnership with broader systems. The study contributes to ongoing discussions on culturally relevant GBV interventions and emphasises the need for capacity-building and policy alignment to ensure that traditional authority supports, rather than hinders, efforts to eliminate GBV.

Rural communities have tremendous difficulties in social justice and sustainable development due to the prevalent and ongoing nature of gender-based violence (GBV). This study aims to map sustainable GBV accountability ecosystems in the rural communities of the Vhembe district. The study seeks to discover the contextual elements, institutional mechanisms, and community dynamics that support long-lasting and sustainable response to GBV within the Vhembe District. Through in-depth interviews, the study gathered qualitative data using a qualitative research approach. The study engaged different stakeholders, including survivors, community leaders, law enforcement agencies, civil society, and government representatives, in order to get an in-depth understanding of the current GBV accountability structures and their sustainability. While a non-probability purposive sampling was adopted for the selection of the participants. Data was analysed using the Thematic analysis, with the assistance of Atlas TI Data software. The results of this study brought to light the complex issues that rural communities face in preventing GBV, which includes resource access issues, cultural norms, and weak institutional support. Moreover, the research has revealed the potential practices and community-driven initiatives that support sustainable accountability, including launching community-based support teams, establishing capacity-building programs, and stakeholders’ collaboration. The study findings will significantly assist the policymakers, practitioners, and researchers to develop targeted interventions and strengthen sustainable responses to GBV in rural communities of Vhembe district. Additionally, the ethical considerations were followed to protect the participants from any harm.

This qualitative study examined the Men and Boys Championing Change programme’s effectiveness in reducing gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa’s Vhembe district, facilitated by Traditional leaders (Mahosi) using an empowerment model. In-depth, semi-structured interviews with ten Mahosi purposefully selected using a non-probability sampling method, analysed thematically and supported by a 4-point Likert-type scale, indicated positive perceptions of the programme, scoring an average of 3.7 out of 4. Leaders highlighted improved attitudes, male engagement, and gender equity as programme benefits. However, sustainability concerns scored 3.0, reflecting a moderate to high level of agreement that limited resources may impact long-term success. The findings suggest the programme promotes community cohesion, social justice, and respect for women while highlighting resource constraints as barriers to lasting impact.

Gender-based violence (GBV) is increasingly gaining local and international attention. South Africa has been experiencing high volume of GBV cases. Men are unable to report gender-based violence cases because of fears for discrimination, labelling and cultural norms. Traditionally, men are expected to be strong despite the difficulties experienced. Although there is high unequal implementation of programs and policies that caters for GBV, male victims continue to suffer because the societal perception, stigmatization, and discrimination. Notwithstanding the existing policies, men continue to become victims of gender-based violence at an alarming rate. Gender-based violence against men has disturbing effects which includes physical effects, mental health illness, sexual dysfunctionality suicide and femicide. Men significantly suffer gender-based violence which this leads to lack of self-expression due to societal expectations and finding it difficult to seek help and report about the abuse. This mostly results to divorce, homicides and other mental related problems. The purpose of the study was to explore the destructive effects of gender-based violence against men in South Africa. The study employed the qualitative research approach with exploratory research design adopted. A sample of 14 male victims of gender-based violence was chosen for the purpose of the study. The study used interviews with semi-structured interview schedule used to guide the session. Purposive sampling technique was used with thematic content used for data analysis process. Among the many effects experienced, the study established the physical, mental health problems, sexual dysfunctionality, suicide and homicide to be the main effects of gender-based violence against men. Family systems theory was found to be relevant in the study to understand the dynamics of gender-based violence.

Intimate partner violence against male victims is an understudied phenomenon that has been neglected by traditional research methods in South Africa. This study is intended to shed light on the under-researched area of intimate partner violence against male victims in South Africa. Despite the focus on female victims of violence, male victims have historically been neglected in research. This study is concerned with identifying the contributory factors that make men vulnerable to intimate partner violence in South Africa. This study employed the qualitative research approach. The study comprised of 10 male victims of intimate partner violence to assist the research to gather in-depth data about IPV. Furthermore, data was analyzed thematically, this is a qualitative research data analysis method used to identify, code, and categorize patterns and themes with the date set. Findings from this study are set to inform policymakers and service providers to develop interventions that meet the needs of male victims in South Africa, and to strengthen the evidence base for male victimhood. This study contributes to the body of knowledge on male victimhood and ultimately to the development of policy and programs that prevent violence against men and promote their safety and well-being.