OPINION | Patriarchy compels men to suppress vulnerability and perpetuates violence

The first comprehensive research publication on gender-based violence (GBV) in SA offers crucial insights into the persistence of this societal scourge.

Conducted by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC), the study identifies mental health challenges, trauma and a vicious cycle of violence among men as some significant factors informing the prevalence of GBV.

This much-anticipated study, which gathered data from 4,409 male respondents and 5,603 female respondents, provides an opportunity to deconstruct GBV with a particular emphasis on the role of men. By offering first-hand insights into the drivers of violence, it invites an interrogation that places men at the centre of the discourse rather than burdening women with the sole responsibility of addressing GBV.

While acknowledging the socio-economic disparities that often render women vulnerable in interpersonal relationships and communities, this study unequivocally asserts that the root of GBV lies not with women. Indeed, little can be achieved by women alone to mitigate this crisis. Instead, the findings highlight the multifaceted challenges faced by men — spanning institutional, structural, cultural, social, and economic dimensions — that have internalised violence into the fabric of manhood and masculinity.

To this, I argue that the study reveals a profound truth: “Men are not violent to women and children because of their nature; men are violent because they are violated.”

This is a damning indictment of the white supremacist, capitalist patriarchy that continues to inform the makeup of society.

Bell Hooks captures this phenomenon eloquently when she asserts that “the first act of violence that patriarchy demands of males is not violence towards women. Instead, patriarchy demands of all males that they engage in acts of psychic self-mutilation, that they kill off the emotional parts of themselves.” This assertion highlights how patriarchy compels men to suppress vulnerability, fostering emotional disconnection and perpetuating violence across gender lines.

Patriarchal beliefs such as “indoda must” (a man must provide) and “men don’t cry” worsen this reality, ignoring scientific evidence that shows how the socio-economic marginalisation of black men undermines their economic development, cripples their mental health and erodes their sense of humanity. As a result, black communities have become a defining locus of GBV in SA.

The HSRC study underscores that challenges like unemployment and poverty disproportionately affect black working-class communities, creating frustration and resentment that often manifest in interpersonal violence. Structural inequalities, entrenched by apartheid’s legacy, continue to marginalise these communities, limiting access to opportunities and perpetuating cycles of despair and trauma.

Two scholarly perspectives help illuminate what drives men into violence against themselves, their peers and other vulnerable groups like women and children:

Clenora Hudson-Weems warns that “Patriarchy as a Western construct does not adequately account for the communal and co-operative gender dynamics that have existed in many African societies. Its imposition not only oppresses women but also dismantles the natural roles of men, forcing them into hierarchical dominance alien to their existence”. Here, Hudson-Weems critiques how colonial patriarchy disrupts community-orientated participation for black men, alienating them from the balanced power dynamics necessary for fostering development in communities and interpersonal relationships.

Similarly, Sylvia Wynter writes that “Capitalism reconfigures manhood as a site of exploitation and violence, not only towards others but towards the self, alienating men of colour from their humanity in service of an oppressive economic order.” Wynter highlights how racialised capitalism and patriarchy compel men to adopt oppressive roles that strip them of emotional and communal connections.

These accounts reveal a critical truth — patriarchy does not victimise women and children — it victimises humanity itself. It disrupts communities, prevents shared experiences from fostering solidarity and perpetuates a fallacy of competing interests.

This is why we must recognise that as long as men remain aggressive, power-mongering and violent towards one another, GBV will persist as a haunting societal crisis. The study finds that about 45% of male respondents reported experiencing violence from other men during their lifetime, and SA’s homicide statistics reveal that nearly 70% of all homicide victims are male, with the perpetrators also predominantly being male.

If anything, this HSRC study, like many before it, highlights that male dominance in society, without equitable power dynamics across various spaces, creates an environment of fear and insecurity for everyone. The findings demand a re-evaluation of societal norms and a collective commitment to dismantling the structures that perpetuate violence and oppression.

Mahlangu is a community activist at Not In My Name International. She writes in her personal capacity.