Among women aged 15 to 44, acts of violence, usually perpetrated by a loved one, cause more death and disability than cancer, malaria, traffic accidents and war combined. That’s why it’s crucial that we all take hands and join the fight!
Veil of silence has been removed
Violence against women, especially domestic violence and rape, is a firmly ingrained phenomenon worldwide and has for many centuries been kept behind a veil of silence or treated as a private matter. In fact, it is estimated that, worldwide, one in five women will become a victim of rape or attempted rape in her lifetime. Thankfully, the shocking extent of this problem has now been revealed and many countries and governments are trying to assess and hopefully remedy the problem.
Abuse defined
The South African Domestic Violence Act 1998 defines domestic violence as:
Physical abuse; sexual abuse; emotional, verbal and psychological abuse; economic abuse; intimidation; harassment; stalking; damage to property; entering into the complainants residence without consent where the parties do not share the same residence and any other controlling or abusive behaviour towards a complainant where such conduct harms, or may cause immediate harm to, the safety, health or wellbeing of the complainant.
Scope of the problem
Despite a world-renowned constitution and new legislation to safeguard women’s and children’s rights, violence against women and children is still one of the most widespread forms of human rights abuse in South Africa. Also, most cases of domestic violence and rape, which is widespread, are not reported to the police and even when detected by the criminal justice system, the perpetrator frequently goes unpunished, gets a light sentence or is let out on bail or paroled, thus opening up opportunities to inflict secondary abuse.
Most recent findings
Nothing much has changed and recent statistics, research findings and surveys point out that:
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- South Africa is a known leader regarding violence between intimate partners. One in every four to five South African women is abused and assaulted by her boyfriend or husband every week.
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- In 2012 we were dubbed the rape capital of the world and rightly so as we had the highest ratio of reported rape cases per 100 000 people in the world −and we still have.
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- 40% of South African men admitted to having hit their partners and one in four admitted to having raped a woman.
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- South Africa has one of the highest rates of HIV/Aids in the world due to our women’s inability to negotiate safe sex and refuse unwanted sex and by being forced into early marriages as child brides. The average age of girls who are sexually abused is 11 years of age.
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- During the 2013 to 2014 period, 17068 people (almost 47 a day), and approximately 800 more compared to the previous year, were murdered; among the highest rates of violent crime in the world.
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- South Africa is one of the global leaders in female murders, approximately eight a day, which is five times more than that of the global rate.
Who can help?
Addressing and preventing violence against women and children requires action at many levels and by many role players including the following:
Government
It is up to government to promote gender equality and protect women’s human rights through the constitution, legislation and other efforts such as providing protection in public places and schools (police) as well as legal (courts), medical (clinics and hospitals) and social aid and support (shelters, social workers, counsellors, etc).
Communities
It is up to communities to take part in making their neighbourhoods, town and cities safe places for women and children. There are many projects that can be undertaken to do so, for example setting up neighbourhood watches, forming women neighbourhood groups to help and assist one another, organising formal education and training sessions to raise awareness about violence against women and children.
Individuals
Social, political, religious, traditional and other respected leaders and individuals can make a big difference by speaking out against women and child abuse. Everyone everywhere can help create awareness of this problem and where possible help and support abused women and children. Maybe the place to start is by educating young boys and men to understand that real men don’t rape, ravish and murder!
Conclusion
The South African government has attempted to and has to a large extent succeeded in fulfilling its obligations towards ending violence against women through legislation and other forms of support.
Unfortunately, as is usually the case in South Africa, the implementation of both existing and new legislation by the various role players, especially the South African Police and also to a lesser extent the criminal justice system, has failed miserably.
“Child-headed households, alcohol and drug abuse, economic challenges, and the severe structural and systemic entrenchment of a violent society have resulted in a dangerous disregard for life and human rights in the South African society. We are slowly becoming numb to incidents of sexual violence, of baby rape, of gang-rape by a ‘known-person’. Each time we do this, we allow this pandemic to spread further and dig its roots deeper into our society”, warns Jonathan Brady.
We, South African men and women, cannot idly stand by and let this happen. It is up to each one of us to keep on holding the government with its support systems responsible and doing whatever we can as individuals and communities to change this horrible status quo!
Sources
Bollen, S. & Artz, L. 1999. Violence against women in metropolitan South Africa: a study on impact and service delivery: Monograph 41. Retrieved from: http://www.issafrica.org/publications/monographs/monograph-41-violence-against-women-in-metropolitan-south-africa-a-study-on-impact-and-service-delivery-by-sandra-bollen-lillian-artz:
Brady, J. Violent crime in South Africa: a dislocation of our society. 2014. Retrieved from: http://voices.news24.com/jonathan-brady/2014/09/crime-sa-uncomfortable-truth/
Davis, R. 2013. Analysis: gender-based violence and the SA women’s other problems. Retrieved from: http://www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2013-08-22-analysis-gender-based-violence-and-the-sa-womens-other-problems/#.VDPOU2eSyE4
Domestic violence in South Africa: what’s happened to our men? 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.sacap.edu.za/domestic-violence-south-africa-whats-happened-men/
Ending violence against women and girls. Retrieved from: http://www.un.org/en/globalissues/briefingpapers/endviol/index.shtml
Facts and figures: ending violence against women. Retrieved from: http://www.unwomen.org/en/what-we-do/ending-violence-against-women/facts-and-figures
47 people murdered each day in SA. 2014 Retrieved from: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/47-people-murdered-each-day-in-SA-20140919
International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Retrieved from: http://www.ipu.org/wmn-e/vaw/day.htm
Mofolo, T. & Browne, P. Preventing violence against women in South Africa. Retrieved from: http://www.hda.co.za/Home/Resources/PreventingviolenceagainstwomeninSouthAfrica.aspx
MRC says 3 women a day killed in SA. 2012. Retrieved from: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/MRC-says-3-women-a-day-killed-in-SA-20121107
SA a leader in violence against women. 2013. Retrieved from: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-a-leader-in-violence-against-women-20130218
SA remains ‘world rape capital’. 2012. Retrievied from: http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/SA-remains-world-rape-capital-20120921
Savings, S. 2014. South Africa’s rape crisis. Retrieved from: http://www.thoughtleader.co.za/oneyoungworld/2014/06/05/south-africas-rape-crisis-
Violence against women and children deals South Africa a fatal blow. 2013 Retrieved from: http://firsthandnewsdotcom.wordpress.com/2013/03/13/violence-against-women-and-children-deals-south-africa-a-fatal-blow/
WHO multi-country study on women’s health and domestic violence against women: Initial results on prevalence, health outcomes and women’s responses. Retrieved from: http://www.who.int/gender/violence/who_multicountry_study/summary_report/summary_report_English2.pdf