GBV convictions fall far short

Gender-based violence organisations are right when they say they want more to be done against offenders.

According to statistics released by the police this week, between 1 April, 2020 and 31 March, 2021, 356 life sentences were handed down to 266 sexual offence perpetrators.

The courts convicted 1 700 offenders and handed down 13 900 sentences in the past year.

For this, our police need to be applauded.

But when you see that this only amounts to 5% of reported cases, there really shouldn’t be any celebrations or pats on the back.

Women and Men Against Child Abuse advocacy manager Ngaa Murombedzi said: “We take into account the challenges police experience. It’s the job and duty of police, the National Prosecuting Authority and the justice system to put perpetrators behind bars. We are working with families who are still waiting for their trauma to be prioritised.”

She added: “We have to be careful not to celebrate numbers out of context; 34 314 reported cases – what about unreported cases and what about pending arrests?”

With 132 incidents per 100 000 people, it’s no wonder South Africa is known as the rape capital of the world.

#NotInMyName organisation revealed it had received many complaints from sexual violence victims in Pretoria who claim they were turned away by police.

That is unacceptable.

The World Health Organisation says worldwide, one in three women have experienced either physical or sexual violence. In SA those figures are worse.

We need to ask ourselves, are we doing enough to prevent this from happening and once we have made arrests, are we sending out a clear message that this will not be tolerated in terms of punishment handed down?

If the answers to those questions are no, then we are failing as a nation.