Ethical and methodological issues in conducting research on gender-based violence in southern Africa

International experience of carrying out research on violence against women among women who may have experienced such violence and among men who may h ave been violent has raised a number of ethical issues, which appear in sha rp focus. This paper is based on the collective experiences derived from in volvement in three large gender-based violence surveys in South Ali ica and one in Zimbabwe. These are broadly concerned with the safely of researcher s and research subjects from violence arising because of the research proje ct; risks of traumatisation of both respondents and researchers as violent experiences are recounted: impact of work on violence as an issue in resear chers' own relationships; risks of un der-reporting the extent of violence Experienced or perpetrated and the need for research efforts to be folio we d up in ways beneficial to women experiencing violence, such as increased s upport, public information, and law and policy changes. This paper discusse s how these issues ha ve pertained and been addressed in research on gender -based violence in Southern Africa and consider lessons for this and other sensitive areas of reproductive and sexual health research.