SA Rocks is proudly and positively South African. If you read this blog you’ll know that. But at the same time I am not ignorant or blind and many times in the past I have spoken about troubles that SA incurs.
This is one of those times.
It is Rape Awareness Week at Rhodes University. The below comments were sent to me via Facebook by a friend of mine.
On Wednesday 30 April, myself and 149 other female Rhodes University students will be taping our mouths shut from 7am until 6pm in solidarity with women who have survived rape. We will go without food and water for the whole day. At present in South Africa, rape rates are soaring with little or no acknowledgment from the government about the crisis on our hands. The levels of violence against women are intolerable and the lack of support structures for survivors of violence worsens an already poor situation. At present, every 26 seconds a woman in South Africa is raped. Of those, only 1 in 9 reports the rape. Of those women, few are successful at trial because they are put on trial by prosecutors and asked why they wore what they did, said what they did or went where they went. This is not acceptable. The continued violence against women must be stopped.
On Wednesday, please take the time to think about those women who are brave survivors of violence, rape, hatred, subordination and oppression. This violence takes place under the facade of democratic freedoms that we are believed to have here. Do not practice quiet diplomacy – speak out about this violence.
‘When you don’t speak out against injustice, you are complicit in its perpetuation.
Jen Thorpe
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April 30th, 2008 at 7:47 am
I think this is a wonderful initiative and the symbolism is powerful. But where are the men??? Kudos Nic for posting this.
April 30th, 2008 at 11:06 am
Frightening stats. Good for the Rhodes women. The image of them sitting with mouths taped up is disturbing, even though it is voluntary. More disturbing is the image of the voiceless women who feel they have no option but to keep quiet.
May 1st, 2008 at 9:13 am
Let me start this post by agreeing that sexual violence is a scourge of violence against women, against South Africa and humanity. We should all deplore it and make women aware and prepared to protect ourselves.
I also applaud the activism of the Rhodes women in raising awareness on campus, particularly for the problem of date rape. I would hypothesize (as opposed to declare without consistent facts) that date rape is a more pernicious problem at Rhodes and most universities worldwide.
However, where activism often falls short is a cavalier attitude towards and the use of “facts” and “statistics”. By overstating their case, passionate activists de-legitimize their imperative.
By Jen’s note above, 1.2 million women in South Africa are raped. (2.3 rapes per minute, 60 x 24 = 1,440 minutes per day, 365 days per year = 1,214,000).
Let’s look at that number:
- It implies that 2.5% of South Africans are raped every year, or 5% of females (assuming a 51% split of men / women from Stats SA) at a population of 48 million
- That implies one female (babies, girls & women) in 20 is raped every year
- But 25% of the female population (under 10 and over 65 – the categories are from Stats SA) will not be regular targets of sexual violence in aggregate (though, frighteningly, some females in these categories will be)
- So, that suggests that one woman (of approximate sexual maturity) in 15 will be raped in SA, every year
Do we really believe that? Of every woman we meet every day, 1 in 15 will be raped THIS YEAR?
Extrapolating that across the 52 year life expectancy of the average South African woman (shortened not by primarily by rape, but the 20% prevalence of HIV in the adult population – Stats SA) suggests that each and every woman in South Africa will be raped at least three times in her lifetime. Once is too many, but do we really believe that EVERY woman will be raped three times?
(continued)
May 1st, 2008 at 9:14 am
Continued from above…
The “stats” that Jen quotes also fly in the face of the reported incidence of “rape” and “indecent assault” as reported by SAPS. In 2007, the last full year of reporting, the total number of rapes was 53,000 and indecent assault was 9,000, for a total of 61,984 sexual assaults. Interestingly, that is almost exactly the same number reported in 2002 (61,976). Given that the SA population, despite HIV, is actually rising, the per-capita incidence of sexual assault, while still frighteningly high and unacceptable, appears to have declined over the last five years, not “soaring” as the post would believe (again, without data or other support than a passionate belief).
OK, you (and Jen) say, the reported levels of rape are only a fraction of the real incidence (or reflect under reporting by SAPS). According to her post “only 1 in 9 (women) reports the rape”… Then the “actual” incidence of rape was 477,000 in 2007 (53,000 rapes x 9). By that same extrapolation, total sexual assault (rape plus indecent assault) would be 558,000 (62,000 x9) in 2007.
By either calculation, we do not arrive at the 1,200,000 implied by the Rhodes initiative in the first “26 seconds” assertion. Not by half in either scenario!!
So which is it? Is it 62,000 as reported? No, I certainly agree that sexual assault is absolutely under-reported. However, it strains credibility to use the “every 26 seconds” stat, implying the 1,200,000 number, and that one woman in 15 will be raped every year…
Therefore, the assertion that “1 in 9 goes unreported” also becomes suspect because of the lack of intellectual rigor in the first “26 seconds” assertion – even if it is true!!
At the end of the day, my point is not to diminish the severity of the rape problem in South Africa. It is real, it is vile and it is unacceptable.
But fanciful stats only leave readers and the potential audience with an impression of bad math and suspect agendas. Unfortunately, the impact of those moved to action on this important issue risk having their passion undermined by the (or their?) statistical shouts of “wolf” in a crowded market of ideas and good causes.
May 6th, 2008 at 9:53 pm
Hi Concerned – I have no involvement in the event, but am an old Rhodian and was involved peripherally in last year’s event. The statistics quoted by the 1 in 9 Campaign are taken from research done by the Medical Research Council. You could also contact POWA (People Opposing Women Abuse) to find out where their stats are gathered from.
While I hear what you’re saying about the stats – and urge you to contact the people who organised this, via POWA or perhaps by asking Nic to ask Jen to confirm the source -just remember that the SAPS figures come only from reported incidents, and the way that the reporting system, the justice system, and everything in between is structured, means that very many women (and men!) will never report their rapes. When rape survivors try to obtain medical treatment, they are treated like dirt. When they report their rape to the police, they are treated with disdain. They will watch their attackers be released on minimal bail; they will watch cases being postponed and postponed and postponed again, and they will often have to deal with cases being struck off the roll because police dockets are missing or evidence has been lost. This is real. It is happening. I am a journalist who reports on court cases, and I have seen these things happen.
I agree 100% that accuracy is vital, but it’s not numbers that will ultimately make any difference to rape survivors or legislation surrounding rape and sexual violence in this country. What will? I’m not sure, but I’m pretty certain that cold, hard numbers make buggerall difference to policy makers. It doesn’t happen to them, to us, to you, to me. Campaigns like the one run at Rhodes are stark, harrowing and distubring. And I believe they DO work. Last year, one of the girls participating was approached by a male student who said, “If I raped you know, you wouldn’t be able to scream.”
Sorry, a VERY disjointed rant, and I hope realise it’s not a personal attack. Contact POWA or 1 in 9 and question them on their facts/stats, I think that’s a good thing to do.
May 6th, 2008 at 9:54 pm
OK, in English that second last sentence should read, “…and I hope YOU realise it’s not a personal attack”. Sorry *blush*
May 7th, 2008 at 8:54 am
Pick any problem. Any problem anywhere. There will be a larger problem overshadowing it, and in a way, responsible for it.
The problems here are not necessarily the rape. An inefficient justice system (brought on by overcrowded prisons, lack of funding at the lower levels), loss of social responsibility (by decline of discipline at home and at school), and apathy on the parts of those that can do something all work together to create an environment where this sort of stuff is possible.
So instead of trying to fight the mountain from the bottom up, why not tackle the larger problems first? This is evidently something that escapes human thinking when it comes to problems like this.
The one rape every 26 seconds thing. It’s probably possible, given that happenings in crowded informal settlements aren’t documented, and it’s also possible given that gang rapes are a common thing, and each rapist would technically account for one rape.
It’s still a little extreme, though (thanks for de-scaremongering the stats, Concerned). But it’s not the overarching problem here.
The only way to realistically put a dent in this problem is to raise social awareness. And it doesn’t have to be complicated – if you know of someone that’s been raped, drop a email, sms, or phone call somewhere. Anonymity is one of the keys to dealing with something like this.
If everyone does a little bit, a massive shift will be achieved. Economy of scale
~ Wogan
May 8th, 2008 at 4:16 pm
Wogan, am intrigued by, “if you know of someone that’s been raped, drop a email, sms, or phone call somewhere. Anonymity is one of the keys to dealing with something like this.”
What does this mean? “Out” people as rape survivors, essentially forcing them to report the incident? Sure, like that’s not re-violation!
There are a lot of organisations already tackling issues with legislation, the justice system, police. To me, having groups of people like Rhodes students staging a very hard-hitting protest that goes to the heart of the matter – that rape is a crime of PEOPLE; that rape leaves women voiceless – is effective and necessary.
May 18th, 2008 at 2:36 pm
Very interesting comments. Yes, maybe statistics can be distorted to suit the user – the issue is still that rape is happening, and something should be done to stop it. I agree with what Wogan says about looking at it globally. Our justice system is clogged, police are understaffed and underpaid, jails are overfull … I myself am not sure where the problem should start to be sorted out, but one thing’s for sure – I think government should start taking crime in general far more seriously!
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