Understanding Men’s Perceptions of Their Own and Government’s Response to Violence Against Women

From November 10-15, 2006 Sonke Gender Justice conducted a survey of 945 men in the greater Johannesburg area. Men were selected from diverse racial and ethnic groups in the same general proportion as these groups are represented in South Africa. Men were asked two initial questions about how they viewed responses to violence against women. These were: 1) is the Government doing too much, not enough or the right amount to address the problem of violence against women in South Africa?; and 2) are men in general doing too much, not enough or the right amount to address the problem of violence against women?

Men were then asked to rank according to priority six potential strategies for dealing with violence against women. The options offered were in two broad areas: 1) what government could do; and 2) what men could do themselves.

The survey results indicate that men in the greater Johannesburg area hold a range of quite different perceptions about gender equality and about violence against women. This report provides an overview and the outcomes of the survey.