The Public Display and Normalisation of Intimate Partner Violence in South Africa

This chapter is based on a mixed-methods study to understand the relationship between witnessing violence and experiencing intimate partner violence (IPV) in South Africa, a country marked by persistent gender inequality and a legacy of state-sanctioned violence. Drawing on feminist theory, the research frames IPV as a structural and culturally normalised phenomenon. The study included 191 participants across seven provinces. Quantitative data revealed a significant positive association between witnessing violence and experiencing IPV (OR:5.05; CI:2.17–11.73). Qualitative findings from focus group discussions highlight how IPV is normalised in public and private spaces, with bystander inaction shaped by socio-cultural beliefs, such as the privatisation of intimate conflict. Integration of quantitative modelling and qualitative narratives deepens understanding of how witnessing violence is linked to IPV salience. The study demonstrates that IPV is not merely episodic or private, but public, pervasive, and structurally embedded in post-apartheid South African society. The legacy of apartheid-era violence, patriarchal norms, and economic disempowerment intersect to reinforce cycles of IPV across generations and geographies. Policy recommendations include programmes at multiple levels to enact a shift from individualised responses to systemic and community-level prevention strategies. Ultimately, dismantling IPV normalisation requires addressing its historical roots and transforming entrenched social norms.