What drives obstetric violence amongst nurses and midwives throughout the continuum of maternal health care in governmental hospitals and antenatal clinics in urban Western Cape

Abstract

Obstetric violence is a particular form of gender-based violence that harms women physically, emotionally and psychologically. Obstetric violence has been reported throughout South Africa in both the public and private health sectors across the continuum of maternal health care. In the efforts to eradicate obstetric violence within South African maternal healthcare, we require a better understanding of what drives this phenomenon in this context. The perspective of nurses and midwives is indispensable in developing this understanding.