Survey:

South African Attitudes Toward Gender Based Violence

Executive Summary

A national polling survey was commissioned by the Women’s Action Campaign South Africa to understand better what South Africans know, believe, and feel about the rape and sexual violence that occurred on October 7th.

The goal was to gain insight into why the response to these atrocities has been so muted and why there has been widespread silence despite high levels of sexual violence in the country. The survey aimed to explore whether South Africans are ignorant or apathetic about the events or if they believe rape can be used as a legitimate weapon of war even though it is outlawed.

The survey is intended to spur a conversation about these critical issues - to inform people, answer their questions, and encourage them to speak up and voice their concerns, heartbreak and anger. South Africa has a culture of silence around sexual violence where survivors often aren't believed, making justice very difficult.
Victory Research conducted this survey from February 14 to 20, 2024.  The sample comprises 808 respondents and fully represents the South African adult population. It was conducted telephonically using a single-frame, random digit dialling sampling method. The margin of error is 3.5% at a confidence level of 95%.

Key Findings

  1. 97% of South Africans agree that rape and GBV are a profound problem in South Africa, and 90% of South Africans believe that all rape victims should be supported regardless of their race, culture, religion, or gender.

  2. Despite a majority of 73% believing rape cannot ever be justified, 25% of  South Africans agree that rape can be justified in wartime.

  3. There is significant unawareness, 56% of South Africans have never heard of Hamas.   62% of South Africans do not know any details about the Hamas attack on Israel.

  4. However, when presented with details of the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, a significant majority of 79% believe it is an unjustified act of war and an act of terror. 

  5. Additionally, there is a significant level of distrust in the reporting of Hamas’ attack on Israel on October 7.  40% of South Africans believe reports of Hamas militants committing rape or killing are Israeli or Western propaganda. 

  6. However, 70% of South Africans would support the prosecution of Hamas’s actions as war crimes or crimes against humanity. 

  7. While 54% believe the South African government needs to apply as much pressure as possible to this end.

South African’s views on GBV and Rape:

The vast majority of South Africans consider GBV and rape to be a profound problem. Almost one in two people know someone who has been a victim of GBV or rape. There exist huge levels of sympathy for such victims, whom the public believes should be supported regardless of race, gender or culture.

  • The public is profoundly concerned by the rate of GBV. 97,3% of all respondents believe GBV and rape to be a problem.

  • The prevalence of the problem reinforces this attitude. 52,8% of South Africans know someone who was a victim of GBV, and 46,9% of the public knows someone who was a victim of rape. 

  • An overwhelming majority of 89,6% of South Africans agree that victims of rape should be supported regardless of their race, culture, religion, or gender.

Are there circumstances when GBV and Rape is acceptable?

Despite high levels of general awareness around GBV and rape and sympathy for victims, a significantly smaller majority believe there are no circumstances in which rape can be justified. One in four people disagree with that idea, and one in three South Africans agree that rape is a justified means of weakening the enemy in wartime.

Although 97% of South Africans believe GBV and rape to be a problem when asked if they agree or disagree that there are no circumstances in which rape is justifiable:

  • 73% agreed with the statement.

  • 24,6% disagree with this statement.

  • 22,4% strongly disagree with this statement.

By comparison, when asked if they agree or disagree with this statement that rape is always a horrific act, but during wartime, when people are dying, in that context rape can be justified as means of attacking and weakening the enemy:

  • 69.1% disagree with this statement.

  • 29,3% agreed with this statement.

  • 24,3% strongly agree with this statement.

South African’s knowledge of Hamas and October 7.

  • There is significant unawareness, 56% of South Africans have never heard of Hamas.  

  • 62% of South Africans do not know any details about the Hamas attack on Israel.

  • Around one in two South Africans cannot speak with any authority Hamas or the October 7 attack. 

South Africans view October 7 when a description is provided.

At 6.30 am on Saturday, 7 October 2023, an estimated 3,000 rockets were fired at Israel by Hamas militants from Gaza. Over 1000 armed Hamas militants stormed across the border into Israel and attacked several communities (kibbutzim) and hundreds of young people attending an all-night music festival. According to a statement by international legal experts, Hamas targeted their attacks against large numbers of civilians, committing murder, torture, rape, mutilation and molestation of bodies. They then took about 240 Israeli citizens hostage - including mothers, babies, small children and the elderly - and carried them across the Gaza border. About 1,200 people were killed on 7 October. Most of them were civilians, including Israelis, Israeli Arabs, Thai farm workers and citizens from other countries. Released hostages confirm that women still held captive are subject to ongoing sexual abuse.

  • 79,1% of South Africans believe that the actions of Hamas were a violent act of war and terror on innocent civilians and unjustified.

  • 17,5% agree that the actions of Hamas are a violent act, but one of self-defence after decades of oppression and occupation, and justified. 

  • 40,2% of South Africans believe reports of Hamas militants committing rape are Israeli or Western propaganda.

What are South Africa's views on Hamas?

  • 30,9% of South Africans believe Hamas is a resistance movement, justifiably fighting to free the Palestinian people from Israeli oppression and occupation.

  • 23% believe Hamas is a resistance movement, but while agreeing with its cause, these South Africans do not agree with Hamas’s violent methods or that they represent all Palestinians.

  • 38% believe it is a violent, extremist, and fundamentalist terrorist group fighting to destroy Israel and Israelis through any means necessary.

  • 61% of South Africans take issue with Hamas’s use of violence and its position that it represents all Palestinians.

What do South Africans believe the consequences should be if reports about the actions of Hamas militants are accurate?

  • 60% of South Africans believe that every international effort should be made to hold them to account. Their actions cannot ever be accepted.

  • 70,4% of South Africans say they would support the prospection of Hamas militants at the International Criminal Court as Crimes Against Humanity or War Crimes.

  • 54,2% of South Africans believe the South African government needs to apply as much pressure as possible” when it comes to prosecuting those Hamas militants.

Contact

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