Violence against women remains one of the biggest challenges our country continues to face. Charlene Smith, a victim of sexual violence herself, says that women’s rights have never been better, but sexual abuse has never been worse.

In 2007, the Sexual Offences Act introduced measures to strengthen the fight against sexual offences from a policing and legal perspective and to provide more assistance to victims of sexual crimes. However, the impact that this Act has on rape prosecutions remains to be seen. (It is estimated that only 14% of the perpetrators of rape are convicted in South Africa). Until the Act or other state measures curb the rate of violence against women, the risks of being a victim remain high. (Women’s groups estimate that a woman is raped every 26 seconds and the South African Police estimate that a woman is raped every 36 seconds.)

Domestic violence is another major challenge in South Africa. Charlene adds that “Women have lots of rights in the workplace, but it is in our own homes that we are faced with serious threats to our safety”.

Motherhood

Mothers have the important responsibility of raising their sons to become decent, caring men who are prepared to play an appropriate role in addressing the violence in South Africa. In a recent report by the Medical Research Council, nearly three out of four men admitted that they had first raped a woman or girl before the age of 20, and nearly one in ten admitted doing so before the age of 10.

According to Janet Buckland, a driving force behind the sustainable development of arts and culture in the Eastern Cape, “women have a huge role to play in shaping men for the better … there are generations of sons who lack that imprint of female nurturing”.

Male prejudice

Prejudice against women exists worldwide. Charlie Sheen was suspended by CBS for insulting his boss and not for the times he throttled his wife or other women, and the fact that girls are being kidnapped and sold for sex in broad daylight has not angered enough people sufficiently to stop it from happening.

The rape and disembowelment of 14-year-old Thandeka Madonsela in Soweto in March received little attention from the authorities. It took the horrific death of 17-year-old Anene Booysen at the hands of her rapists to prompt government to promise new legislation, improved efforts and increased funding to embattled non-governmental organisations fighting a lone battle to aid rape survivors.

While, on Women’s Day, we celebrate the remarkable contributions women are making in our country, let us collectively engage with questions of gender equality until we no longer need to celebrate Women’s Day.

 

Sources
http://www.themorningsidepost.com
Pillay, Verahni. Rape in South Africa: Desperately seeking a political champion. Mail & Guardian. 26 April, 2013 www.sagoodnews.co.za