Suchergebnisse

Background. The criminal use of firearms in South Africa is widespread and a major factor in the country having the third-highest homicide rate in the world. Violence is a common feature of South African society. A firearm in the home is a risk factor in intimate partner violence, but this has not been readily demonstrated in South Africa because of a lack of data. Methods. We drew on several South African studies including national homicide studies, intimate partner studies, studies with male participants and studies from the justice sector, to discuss the role of gun ownership on gender-based violence. Conclusion. Guns play a significant role in violence against women in South Africa, most notably in the killing of intimate partners. Although the overall homicide data suggest that death by shooting is decreasing, data for intimate partner violence are not readily available. We have no idea if the overall decrease in gunshot homicides applies to women in relationships, and therefore gun control should remain high on the legislative agenda.

PurposeThis paper aims to describe the challenges and potential benefits of moving a mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers to an online mode of delivery in response to the South African Government's efforts to curb the spread of the novel coronavirus disease COVID-19.Design/methodology/approachA descriptive account incorporating reflections from staff responsible for the move to e-mentoring and from South African and UK researchers undertaking an exploratory study of mentoring vulnerable youth at the time when COVID-19 restrictions were imposed.FindingsE-mentoring can provide an effective means to maintaining the essential elements of a well-established mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers under government enforced "lock-down". E-mentoring presents particular challenges and benefits in the South African context. Youth in care and care leavers have unequal access to a digital infrastructure, but this can be overcome by investment in resourcing, equipping and training carers, mentors and mentees. The geographical reach offered by online platforms gives young people access to a more diverse pool of mentors.Originality/valueBoth care leaving services and the use of e-mentoring to meet the needs of vulnerable young people are emerging areas of practice and research interest. This paper brings the two areas together in the context of South Africa under COVID-19 "lock-down" through describing the response of one mentoring programme and highlighting the benefits and challenges.

Purpose: to describe the challenges and potential benefits of moving a mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers to an online mode of delivery in response to the South African Government's efforts to curb the spread of Covid-19. Approach: a descriptive account incorporating reflections from staff responsible for the move to e-mentoring and from South African and UK researchers undertaking an exploratory study of mentoring vulnerable youth at the time when Covid-19 restrictions were imposed. Findings: E-mentoring can provide an effective means to maintaining the essential elements of a well-established mentoring programme for young people in care and care leavers under government enforced 'lock-down'. E-mentoring presents particular challenges and benefits in the South African context. Youth in care and care leavers have unequal access to a digital infrastructure, but this can be overcome by investment in resourcing, equipping and training carers, mentors and mentees. The geographical reach offered by online platforms gives young people access to a more diverse pool of mentors. Originality: Both care leaving services and the use of e-mentoring to meet the needs of vulnerable young people are emerging areas of practice and research interest. This paper brings the two areas together in the context of South Africa under Covid-19 'lock-down' through describing the response of one mentoring programme and highlighting the benefits and challenges.

Sexual femicide, an abhorrent crime, is not well described and reported. The aim of the study was to describe sexual and non-sexual femicide in South Africa and compare the 2009 with the 2017 study presenting sociodemographic characteristics of victims, perpetrators, crime and forensic findings. The same retrospective study design using proportionate random sample of medico-legal laboratories were used. Sexual femicide was identified from autopsy and police reports. Findings show sexual femicide is not rare in South Africa. We estimated 451 (95% confidence interval: 366–533) sexual femicides in 2009 and 210 (95% confidence interval: 176–244) in 2017. Sexual femicides decreased by more than half from 19.1% in 2009 to 8.7% in 2017. We show an increase among younger women, those living in rural areas and strangers as perpetrators. Our dedicated studies show the value of documenting sexual femicides over time in a country with high levels of gender-based violence to assist development of theory-based prevention interventions.