Position Paper #3 - Depictions of Women and Minorities

 Depiction of Women in South Africa

Growing up as a young woman in the United States, you often hear about how privileged we are compared to women in other countries. Although there are arguments about whether women are paid equal to men in the US or receive the same opportunities, we have never had to experience the supreme hatred and social class roles that women experience in different parts of the world. 

In South Africa, women, more specifically black women, are seen as less important than men. South Africa has one of the highest gender-based violence rates in the world. A woman is killed every three to four hours; many of these women turn into statistics rather than names in the media. The danger and femicide that women face in the country are outstanding and unfathomable. 

Although the horrible treatment of women in South Africa is undeniably happening, is it being discussed in its media? It has been found that the media does not report the total amount of women murdered even though femicide has been referred to as South Africa's "second pandemic" following COVID-19. 

For example, one can find little media mention regarding the startling fact that due to domestic violence and social class roles, young South African women between the ages of fifteen and twenty-four are more likely to be infected with HIV and Aids than men. According to a South African teen: 

"My life used to be like a beautiful vase before the abuse, but then the vase fell with the abuse and was shattered into small pieces, and no matter how many pieces are retrieved and put together again, the vase will never be as beautiful like it was before it was broken. So, no amount of counseling or therapy can help me find nor put back all the pieces of my precious life together again."

Domestic violence in South Africa worsened during the COVID-19 pandemic. Of course, it wasn't just mothers and wifes being abused: it was also daughters. According to an activist from Mozambique, "girls are taught that husbands only beat their wives when they love them." Because of the pandemic, women could not escape their abusive partners and find help. During the first week of lockdown, the South African Police Service received 2,300 calls related to gender-based violence. 

There have been many studies regarding the depiction of South African women on television. The most recent study claims that women are only seen as a "stereotypical housewife, mother, or consumer of a product." The study also found that the percent of women advertising body products is almost twice the percentage of men. 

Although women suffer in South Africa, their social class roles have improved over the last few decades. It was found that South Africa has the highest amount of women in media leadership roles. This statistic is surprising considering their treatment in the country. According to Code for Africa: 

"South Africa ranks low on almost any gender equality scale, but South Africans won't need these to verify what they already know to be true - South Africa is a terrible place to be a woman." 

While women are ranked high in these media positions, they only command 29% of coverage in South African media. Like many parts of the world, women journalists are heavily attacked in South Africa. One of women journalists' most prominent threats is the Economic Freedom Fighters. An example of the EFF's attack on women journalists is when the organization's leader, Julias Malema, posted a journalist's phone number on Twitter.  Malema claimed that the journalist was attempting to spy on the party resulting in the woman receiving death and rape threats. A court case occurred, and the court demanded the party to delete the tweet and pay costs; however, this resulted in further threats towards the journalist. Regardless, women are starting to reclaim their voice in the media. 

Similarly to South African women in media, the percentage of women in government is surprising. In 2019, history was made when half of South Africa's cabinet was made up of women. Currently, South Africa is in the top 20 for women in senior government positions. Like women in media, women's presence in South African government has improved women's social class roles but has not changed how they are treated in their day-to-day lives. Although the roles for women in media and government are increasing, they are still falling far behind in other areas. Women are still receiving less income than men and less education. According to StatsSA: 

"This is a good indication that there are still huge disparities in the labor market between males and females, especially in terms of earnings for comparable levels of educational attainment." 

The horrible treatment of women in South Africa is astounding; however, there have been significant changes in social class roles in the last few decades. Because of these changes, there is hope that domestic violence and femicide will decrease in the future. For now, news outlets outside of South Africa must continue to document these events and demand help for these women. The horrific treatment of these women should not be tolerated in any country.