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Violence In South Africa

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Violence in South Africa and its impact on mental health

Introduction

According to the World Health Organization in the World Report on Violence and Health, violence is defined as “the intentional use of physical force or power, threatened as actual, against oneself, another person, or against a group or community, that either results in or has a high likelihood of resulting in injury, death, psychological harm, maldevelopment or deprivation”. (Krug E, Dahlberg L, Mercy J. et al.2002).
The definition is further, divided into three categories, according to who has committed the violent act. There is self-directed violence, where one intends in harming one`s self in acts of suicide resulting in death or parasuicide where death does not occur. …show more content…
Other types of violence includes: sexual violence, gender based violence, intimate partner violence, domestic violence, family violence, child maltreatment, youth violence, media violence, elder abuse, workplace violence, structural violence, armed conflict, new wars, complex emergencies, terrorism and genocide.

The South African homicide rate appears to be much higher when compared to the road traffic and suicide rates. The homicide rate is higher when compared to other regions. The suicide rate however cannot be seen as low. Easy access and availability of firearms and ammunition together with gang violence are also major leading factors to the violence. Over half of the homicide rates (54%) are firearm related. South Africa is placed among one of the most violent countries in the world with a standardized homicide rate (64.8 per 100 000). In Cape Town`s poorer townships of Khayelisha and Nyanga, violence within the male youth is reflected in extremely high homicide rates (451 and 485 per 100 000, respectively) in the 15-24 age group (Groenewald P, Bradshaw D, Nojilana B, Bourne D, Nixon J, Mohamed H, et al. 2003). Violent rapes and sexual offences are more prevalent in South Africa, mostly among women, children and even toddlers. South Africa has been termed the “rape capital of the world” (Human Rights Watch,

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