Original Research Article: full paper (2023), «EUREKA: Social and Humanities» Number 2 73 Social Sciences SOUTH AFRICA’S GENDER-BASED VIOLENCE: AN EXPLORATION OF A SINGLE SIDED ACCOUNT Xolani Thusi  Department of Public Administration School of Economics and Management University of Limpopo University str., Turfloop, Sovenga, Limpopo, South Afric, 0727 xolanithusi@yahoo.com Victor H. Mlambo School of Public Management, Governance and Public Policy University of Johannesburg Auckland Park, South Africa, PO Box 524, 2006 Corresponding author Abstract Gender-based violence (GBV) is a global social problem that has received considerable attention from policymakers and researchers. However, when speaking of GVB, significant attention is paid to women who are seen as being at the receiving end of violence. Although statistics do support the notion that women are mostly exposed to GBV, little attention has been paid to GBV against men as often not, it is the man who is seen as the aggressor and the woman painted as the victim. This article investigates reasons Gender-Based Violence (GBV) against men is not being addressed in South Africa. Males are also victims of GBV in South Africa, although the government, media, and police pay little attention to GBV against males. It is critical to remember, that men, regardless of their muscularity, can be mistreated by men or women. Males may be raped, killed, or attacked, and they also deserve government care and protection. In South Africa, the government is especially concerned about The GBV against women and chil- dren, and August is recognized as Women’s Month, where women’s rights and protections are vigorously contested. However, in South Africa, nothing is done to protect men from gender-based violence. This article acknowledges violence against women and children in South Africa; however, it contends that the government has done insufficient to combat violence against males in South Africa, even though the constitution guarantees males’ human rights and recognizes that they can also be victims of GBV. Keywords: gender, government, men, violence, women, support, protect, police, development. DOI: 10.21303/2504-5571.2023.002734 1. Introduction According to the South African Criminal Law Amendment Act 32 of 2007, rape has noth- ing to do with a person’s gender. This allows males who have been harmed by GBV, particularly sexual gender-based violence (SGBV), to go to court. Recent South African disaggregated reports, on the other hand, stress children and women as victims of GBV but disregard males. GBV against men is similarly understudied, which is an issue considering how serious the consequences may be [1]. Women’s aggressiveness against their male counterpart has been disregarded for several reasons, one of which being the assumption that males are dominant, while women are perceived as submissive, weak, and obedient. Therefore, men are more likely to be victims of domestic vio- lence [2]. Fear of stigmatization, as well as a lack of recognition in the criminal court system and social services for male victims, prevent most victims from seeking help. Gendered stereotypes continue to disguise the abuse of women and girls, as rape is considered a violation of women who are considered the property of men [3]. Thousands of cases of sexual abuse against men have been recorded throughout the years during armed conflict, but these cases are rarely brought to light due to the widespread stigma and shame, associated with such crimes. The physical, emotional, and social well-being of a man or boy can be severely impacted by sexual abuse. Included are bruises, lacerations, fractures, stab wounds, anal and testicular discomfort, genital pain during urination, impotence, and other sexual disorders [4]. Men and boys are reluctant to reveal sexual assault, and quantifying its scope is a challenge. Sexualized violence against men and boys, such as