By Thapelo Molefe
About half of South African men and women believe a woman earning more money than her male partner could cause problems in a relationship, according to the latest Stats SA survey.
The 2025/26 Governance, Public Safety and Justice Survey also found that the battle against gender-based violence is not only about stopping perpetrators, but also about changing attitudes inside relationships, with some men and women still accepting violence in certain circumstances.
The survey found that more men than women believed there were situations where it was acceptable for a man or husband to hit or beat his partner.
ALSO READ: Statistician-General: Social attitudes must change to tackle gender-based violence
Among men, the most commonly cited justification was a wife having sex with another man, while among women the leading justification was a husband or partner having sex with another woman.
The findings come as 81.3% of women
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