RAPE & OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

The high rate of rape and other forms of sexual violence in South Africa has sparked concern and outrage, leading to law reform, parliamentary debates, marches and campaigns. It has also led to a range of policy interventions intended to reduce the number of people who fall victim to these crimes. This policy brief summarises available information about the nature and extent of sexual violence in South Africa. It also describes some efforts to address the problem. However, it does not focus extensively on child sexual abuse – this being a topic in its own right.

In order to combat sexual violence in South Africa, this policy brief makes the following recommendations:

-The quality of the police’s crime statistics should be improved. This will help to show who has access to the criminal justice system and to track trends in these crimes.

-Well-designed community surveys should be conducted in efforts to address sexual violence.

-Barriers to reporting sex crimes should be reduced to strengthen the criminal justice system’s response to rape.

-Efforts to dismantle South Africa’s inequitable gender order should be addressed, in relation to both men and women. All associated programmes and campaigns must be scrutinised for the possibly inadvertent perpetuation of stereotypes of gender inequality.

-The attraction of gangs and drugs in at-risk communities must be reduced, and quality services must be made available to children and their caregivers to prevent the neglect and abuse of children

Authors: Lisa Vetten
Produced By: Institute for Security Studies (2014)

http://www.issafrica.org/uploads/PolBrief72V2.pdf
http://www.wunrn.com