South Africa – Rape & Other Forms of Sexual Violence in South Africa

WUNRN

https://wunrn.wpengine.com

 

ISS – Institute for Security Studies – Via Eldis

 

Direct Link to Full 8-Page 2014 Document:

https://www.issafrica.org/uploads/PolBrief72V2.pdf

 

RAPE & OTHER FORMS OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA

 

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

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.