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Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa
Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2025.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2025
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| _version_ | 1867613970447204352 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Van der Watt, Danielle Elana |
| author2 | Wessels, A. B. |
| author_browse | Van der Watt, Danielle Elana Wessels, A. B. |
| author_facet | Wessels, A. B. Van der Watt, Danielle Elana |
| author_sort | Van der Watt, Danielle Elana |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132289 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:44:36.436Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2025 |
| publishDateRange | 2025 |
| publishDateSort | 2025 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
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| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/132289 Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa Van der Watt, Danielle Elana Wessels, A. B. Wessels, Bernard Stellenbosch University. Faculty of Law. Dept. of Private Law. Gender-based violence -- South Africa Reparation (Criminal justice) -- South Africa Victims of crimes -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa Women -- Violence against -- South Africa Restorative justice -- South Africa UCTD Thesis (LLM)--Stellenbosch University, 2025. van der Watt, D. E. 2025. Pursuing Compensation for Gender-based Violence Survivors in South Africa. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/9870d602-9640-404e-8afd-e2939c83141e ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The ongoing pandemic of gender-based violence ('GBV') is a significant issue in South Africa which impacts all South Africans, directly or indirectly. Tackling the substantial problem presented by GBV will require a multipronged approach. Indeed, there is no single cure to be found but rather a need for a combination of different steps to be taken to aid existing survivors of GBV and to reduce the inordinately high rate of GBV in South Africa in the long run. This thesis examines one way in which to deal with GBV, namely by providing GBV survivors with compensation as a means of moving forward after the violence in a manner that is effective and satisfactory. Against this background, the primary research question considered in this thesis is as follows: does the South African legal system provide GBV survivors with practically effective, outcome-driven means to obtain compensatory relief for their harm? The South African common law – specifically criminal law and the law of delict – acts as the point of departure for, and forms the basis of, the investigation into whether the current legal system and the legal mechanisms created thereby is indeed satisfactory in this regard. However, an evaluation of the common law exposes certain shortcomings in the current state of affairs which prevent GBV survivors from being able to obtain compensation for their harm. Significant hurdles are, for instance, those created by the socio-economic vulnerability of many GBV survivors. Accordingly, a secondary research question needed to be answered, namely whether there are potential alternative routes of obtaining compensatory remedies which (if introduced) may be relied on by GBV survivors in South Africa. In this regard, this thesis examines how the South African law can develop to accommodate a number of identified alternatives, such proposed alternatives being (i) the introduction of basic legal education as part of the compulsory schooling curriculum at primary and secondary level, (ii) the introduction of a specialised GBV court and legislation, (iii) provision of third-party funding to defray civil litigation-related costs, and (iv) claiming against the state in appropriate circumstances. AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die voortdurende pandemie van geslagsgebaseerde geweld ('GBW') is 'n krisis in Suid-Afrika wat alle Suid-Afrikaners direk of indirek raak. Die wye impak van die GBW-probleem vereis 'n veelfasettige benadering. Daar is inderdaad geen enkele oplossing te vinde nie, maar eerder 'n vereiste aan 'n kombinasie van verskillende stappe wat geneem moet word om bestaande GBW-slagoffers te help en om die buitensporige hoë koers van GBW in Suid-Afrika oor die langtermyn te verminder. Hierdie tesis evalueer een manier om GBW te hanteer, naamlik deur GBW-slagoffers van vergoeding te voorsien as 'n manier om aan te beweeg na die geweldplaging, en op 'n manier wat effektief en bevredigend is. In hierdie opsig is die primêre navorsingsvraag wat in hierdie tesis beantwoord moet word as volg: praktiesgesproke, bied die Suid-Afrikaanse regstelsel effektiewe, uitkomsgedrewe maniere aan GBW-slagoffers om vergoeding vir hul skade te kry? Die Suid-Afrikaanse gemenereg – spesifiek die strafreg en die deliktereg – dien as vertrekpunt vir, en vorm die basis van, die evaluasie van óf die huidige regstelsel en die regsmeganismes wat daardeur geskep word wel in hierdie opsig bevredigend is. ’n Evaluering van die gemenereg ontbloot egter sekere tekortkominge wat tans verhoed dat GBWslagoffers wel vergoeding vir hul skade kan kry. Struikelblokke word byvoorbeeld geskep deur die sosio-ekonomiese kwesbaarheid van vele GBW-slagoffers. Dus moes 'n sekondêre navorsingsvraag beantwoord word, naamlik of daar potensiële alternatiewe roetes is om vergoeding te verkry waarop (indien ingestel) GBW-slagoffers in Suid-Afrika kan staatmaak. In hierdie opsig evalueer hierdie tesis hoe die Suid-Afrikaanse reg kan ontwikkel om 'n aantal geïdentifiseerde alternatiewe roetes of meganismes te akkommodeer, naamlik die volgende alternatiewe: (i) die inkorporering van basiese regsopvoeding as deel van die verpligte skoolkurrikulum op primêre en sekondêre skoolvlak, (ii) die stigting van 'n gespesialiseerde GBW-hof en instelling van GBW-wetgewing, (iii) voorsiening van derdeparty-finansiering om siviele litigasieverwante koste te dek, en (iv) 'n eis teen die staat in gepaste omstandighede. Masters 2025-06-02T13:58:25Z 2025-06-02T13:58:25Z 2025-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132289 en Stellenbosch University 199 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Gender-based violence -- South Africa Reparation (Criminal justice) -- South Africa Victims of crimes -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa Women -- Violence against -- South Africa Restorative justice -- South Africa UCTD Van der Watt, Danielle Elana Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title | Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title_full | Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title_fullStr | Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title_full_unstemmed | Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title_short | Pursuing compensation for gender-based violence survivors in South Africa |
| title_sort | pursuing compensation for gender based violence survivors in south africa |
| topic | Gender-based violence -- South Africa Reparation (Criminal justice) -- South Africa Victims of crimes -- Legal status, laws, etc. -- South Africa Women -- Violence against -- South Africa Restorative justice -- South Africa UCTD |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/132289 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT vanderwattdanielleelana pursuingcompensationforgenderbasedviolencesurvivorsinsouthafrica |