Year Published: 2015

Authors: Kate Joyner, Kate Rees and Simone Honikman

Publisher: Alan J Fisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University

Suggested Citation: Joyner K, Rees K & Honikman S (2015) Intimate partner violence (IPV) in South Africa: How to break the vicious cycle (Policy Brief). Cape Town and Stellenbosch: Alan J Fisher Centre for Public Mental Health, University of Cape Town and Stellenbosch University.

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Half of women murdered in South Africa are killed by their intimate partner. Our country has reported the highest rates of such murders in the world. However, the devastating physical, mental and social consequences of this problem are mostly hidden. There is very strong evidence that intimate partner violence (IPV) exists in a vicious cycle with HIV, mental illness, poor reproductive health, poor childhood development and chronic disease, and leads to numerous injuries, disability and death.