Recommend practical strategies that grade 10 learners may implement to deal with gender-based violence in South African schools. Also, indicate how that may benefit victims of gender-based violence in schools.
About this question
Question 2.10 of Life Orientation Grade 10, Provincial Task (Mpumalanga DoE, February 2026). It tests the Term 1 ATP topic Diversity, Discrimination and Human Rights.
- TermTerm 1
- ATP topicDiversity, Discrimination and Human Rights
- PaperMP Task Term 1 2026
- Marks3 marks for one fully developed point
Gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa is a pervasive crisis, with alarming statistics indicating high rates of violence against women and vulnerable groups, prompting the government to declare it a national disaster.
South Africa has some of the highest rates of gender-based violence in the world. According to recent studies, 36% of women reported experiencing physical or sexual violence at some point in their lives, with 24% indicating violence from an intimate partner. In a single quarter, police recorded over 10 000 rape cases, highlighting the severity of the issue. The Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) reported that 33.1% of women over 18 have experienced physical violence, with significant victimisation among black African women and women with disabilities.
The persistence of GBV could be attributed to various factors. Fundamentally, it remains a big problem that any civilised society must deal with so that everyone feels protected in their homes, neighbourhoods, community and society. Imagine a young person having to be raised in a family where GBV is common practice. It may have negative consequences on their wellbeing, outlook on life and how they relate to others.
Because many people are coming forward about their sexual orientation, incidents of corrective rape have been increasing, as some believe subjecting others to it may change their sexual preferences or identity.
In response to the escalating crisis, the South African government has classified gender-based violence and femicide as a national disaster. This classification allows for faster coordination and resource allocation to combat GBV. The Domestic Violence Act has been amended to provide better protection for victims, including recognising various forms of abuse and expanding the definitions to include controlling and coercive behaviour.
Despite these efforts, challenges remain. Many cases of GBV go unreported due to fear of stigma or lack of trust in law enforcement. Frontline workers, such as social workers and community advocates, often face violence and stress themselves while trying to support victims. Addressing GBV in South Africa requires not only legal reforms but also a cultural shift in attitudes towards gender and violence, hence the campaign "16 Days of Activism against Women and Child Abuse". This and other campaigns, however, did not fundamentally change the attitudes of South Africans towards women and children. Gender-based violence in South Africa is a multifaceted issue that demands urgent attention and action from all sectors of society.
[Adapted from https://www.bing.com. Accessed on 27 January 2026]
Grade 10 learners can report any incident of GBV to a trusted teacher or the school management, so that the perpetrator is stopped early and further harm is prevented. This ensures that victims receive protection and support, and makes them feel believed, valued and not alone.
Other points that earn marks
- Accompany victims to the office or school counsellor to help them explain what happened, which reduces their fear and shame.
- Start or join anti-GBV clubs and peer-education groups that raise awareness and encourage early reporting.
- Challenge disrespectful jokes and comments to build a culture of respect among peers.
- Use anonymous reporting boxes so victims' experiences come to light even when they are afraid to speak.
- Help victims make appointments with counsellors, social workers, NGOs or helplines so they can heal emotionally.
- Take part in assemblies, poster campaigns and marches to show victims that the school stands with them.
More Questions On Diversity, Discrimination and Human Rights
Diversity refers to the differences and variety among people, such as differences in race, culture, language, religion, gender, age and ability, which should be respected and accepted.
An example of diversity is a school class where learners speak different home languages, such as isiZulu, Sesotho and English.
True.
Human rights belong to every person in the world, simply because they are human, regardless of race, gender, religion or nationality.
Four effects of discrimination against people who are HIV positive or living with AIDS are:
- They become isolated and lonely and may feel very sad or depressed.
- They become too scared to go to the clinic for treatment, so they become more ill and may even die.
- They are afraid to tell their partners that they have HIV, so their partners may become infected.
- Without treatment they are more vulnerable to TB and other opportunistic infections.
The 16 Days of Activism campaign has succeeded in raising awareness and starting national conversations about GBV, which has encouraged more victims to speak out and report abuse. However, its impact on the rate of GBV is limited because the campaign runs for only 16 days a year, which is too short to change deep-rooted attitudes and behaviour, so many offenders simply continue their abuse once the campaign is over.
Three strategies to challenge prejudice and discrimination in our school are:
- Give learners from different backgrounds chances to work together on projects, so that they get to know each other's way of life and beliefs.
- Hold a heritage or culture day where learners share their cultures, food and traditions, which builds understanding and respect.
- School management should deal with any incident of discrimination quickly and fairly, so that learners know it will not be tolerated.
The Department of Education promotes equality, non-racialism and a culture of human rights in all schools by designing programmes that build a national identity through teaching about and celebrating South Africa's diversity.