South African rape statistics

Mr Mbeki , South Africa’s president, has questioned the validity of the rape statistics provided by the South African police force. The statistic is one woman raped every twenty-six seconds.

One rape every twenty-six seconds, means 2.3 rapes per minute. This equals 138 rapes per hour, 3312 per day, roughly 99,360 per month and 1,192,320 per year. These figures now become bewildering. When we factor in the figure that only one in every thirty-six rape cases is reported, it becomes incomprehensible. The South African police cannot explain how they arrived at this figure of 1 out of 36. Now another figure, 1 rape every 12 minutes, is used.

This fact illustrates how easy, becoming emotional when working with this type of crime, is. Charlise Theron, a South African actress living in America, came to South Africa to make a television advertisement, boldly asking men in general: “Have you raped a woman today?” This question has obviously been inspired by the statistics mentioned before.  South Africa is however, still the rape capital of the world.

There is no denial that rape is a hideous crime, unacceptable in any society. Rape is of a sick individual who needs to be removed from society and locked up. The South African police are notorious for internal political and racial problems and a gross inability to perform its duties. Telephones go unanswered. No vehicles are available to respond to calls and so on. The Chief of Police, Mr Fivas, a man with years of experience, has been removed from office, to be replaced by a more politically correct person.

This new police commissioner has absolutely NO experience in police work. Is it not the lawlessness of South Africa, and the ineffectual policing, that allows rapists to walk free? Maybe Ms Theron should direct her TV questions at the police, or the politicians. Would the time, energy and money spent on making that TV commercial, asking all men whether they have raped someone today, not been better spent on helping to fund a rape crisis centre? Or perhaps using those resources to campaign the government or to form a pressure or educational group, could have been preferable. Or even helping to get the police stats right.

Let us help in a constructive manner! Wagging a finger at all men will not get their support. Another disturbing figure, is that white on white and white on black rapes are statistically insignificant. Most rapes are black on black and, to a lesser extent, black on white. Add to this that 95% of all violent crimes in South Africa, is black on black. Add to this a South African black urban legend that raping a virgin will cure Aids. (Interestingly enough, the Theron Anti Rape TV commercial was extensively shown on South Africa’s SABC3, a TV channel with a predominantly white audience.) This illuminates the horrible socioeconomic conditions for the majority of blacks. Caught up in a web of poverty, they resort to crime. Social structures crumble. Mutual respect disappears in a fight to survive or in a battle to simply exist. Violence increases.