Violence against women and girls is widespread in South Africa. Women who experience intimate partner violence (IPV) and non-partner sexual violence have poorer health outcomes, including higher levels of depression and alcohol use, and are more likely to acquire HIV.
In the eThekwini Municipality of South Africa, approximately 40% of the population live in informal settlements. With a combination of poverty and unemployment, widespread violence, racism and xenophobia, urban informal settlements have very high levels of violence against women, mental trauma, alcohol and drug abuse, and HIV