SOUTH Africa has been labelled the rape capital of the world by Interpol.
According to a survey conducted by the Medical Research Council, a rape occurs every 17 seconds in South Africa. One in two women admit to being raped, one in four men admit to having raped someone and one in seven men admit to being part of a gang rape. Three in four men said they perpetrate violence against women.
Other staggering statistics are that 144 women report a rape every day and only one in 25 cases is reported to the police. Forty five per cent of rapes reported are child rapes and fifty per cent of South African children will be abused before the age of 18.
The ugly truth about rape is it is a sadistic crime that has nothing to do with desire. It can happen to anyone, women, men, children, babies and the elderly, regardless of race, sexual orientation, culture or background.
No one asks to be raped and it is devastating for the victims. It is a very serious crime and it is all about power. Rape is not about sex or passion; it is about power and control. Consent is the different between rape and sex.
What to do after it happens:
Know where to go (your nearest hospital) as you’ll need to get medical treatment as soon as possible to prevent HIV/Aids, STDs and unwanted pregnancy.
Report it! It is your responsibility and your right to report rape. Most importantly, seek counselling and know that it was not your fault and you are not alone.
Here is how you can help a survivor:
Supporting partners, family and friends are crucial in the healing process. Don’t be judgemental, just listen. Let the person know you care, don’t blame them but believe them and, most of all, be patient.
All victims deserve justice but, sadly, they don’t always get it. In South Africa, about 150 cases are reported daily but only 30 of these will be prosecuted while a mere ten will result in a conviction. The conviction rate is four to eight per cent of reported cases.
Childhood sexual abuse:
South Africa has the highest number of child rapes in the world.
It is said that one in three children are exposed to sexual abuse before the age of 17. Violence against children is massively underestimated and boys are equally as vulnerable as girls. Child-on-child abuse is a reality in both rural and urban areas.
There are many misconceptions about male rape. The belief that men or boys cannot be raped is not true. It is a misconception that all perpetrators are men and only adult men in jail are raped. It is also not true that men should be able to protect themselves against rape.
These are the types of rapes which can occur:
1. Date rape: This occurs between two people who know one another on a social level.
2. Gang rape: This is where a group of people participate in the rape of a single victim.
3. Spousal rape: Also known as marital rape, wife rape, husband rape, partner rape or intimate partner sexual assault.
4. Rape of children: This is the rape of a child by an adult or another child.
5. Statutory rape: This is sexual activity that violates age-of-consent law, but is neither violent nor physically coerced.
6. Prison rape: These are more same-sex crimes and the attacker does not identify as being homosexual.
7. Serial rape: Is committed by a person over a relatively long period of time, following a similar modus operandi to commit a number of crimes.
8. Payback rape: Consists of the rape of a female, usually by a group of males, as revenge for acts committed by members of her family.
9. War rape: This is committed by soldiers, other combatants or civilians during armed conflict or war.
10. Rape by deception: Occurs when the perpetrator gains the victims consent through fraud.
11. Corrective rape: This is targeted rape against non-hetrosexuals as a punishment for violating gender roles. It is a form of hate crime against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Why do sex offenders do it?
There are three types of rapists – anger rapists, power rapists and sadistic rapists. These people mostly have a deep unresolved anger towards men or women. They have great difficulty establishing relationships. It is all about power and control for them. Their attitude towards intimacy and relationship is not normal. They could also be rapists because they were exposed to pornography during childhood.
Educating our children
Children from as young as three can be taught what is right and wrong. Children need to know the proper names of body parts and about safe and unsafe touch. They need to know that they have the right to say no and that they must speak to someone they trust if they are uncomfortable with a situation.
*Information courtesy of Epic Foundation.
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‘Fight or die’ – rape victim speaks out
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