Despite the presence of women traditional leaders in many African countries, the literature on traditional authority has mostly focused on male leaders. This paper draws on interviews and surveys conducted in Botswana, Ghana, Liberia, and South Africa to comparatively study how people engage with and perceive women traditional leaders. With a focus on intimate partner violence and non-partner sexual violence, the paper examines people’s reliance on women traditional leaders and the decisions they make around restorative and retributive justice. It theorizes the normative shifts that have contributed to survivors’ preference for retributive justice.
