Organisations fighting GBV criticise govt for failing to protect SA women
Crime statistics
Picture: Pixabay
CAPE TOWN - Organisations fighting gender-based violence have criticised government for continuing to fail to protect South African women.
The recently released crime statistics show that women remain affected by murder, assault GBH and rape, which stands at 10,688.
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Between January to March this year, 36 more rape cases were reported in South Africa compared to the same period last year. Gauteng and KwaZulu-Natal contributed 19.1% and 19.9% respectively to the total number of rapes in the country. More than 8,400 domestic violence-related crimes were also reported in the Western Cape between January and March this year, an increase of 236 cases. One Billion Rising South African co-ordinator, Lucinda Evans, said that the real genocide in South Africa was violence against women, which government continues to ignore. "As One Billion Rising, we once again call upon the president to put to use less lip service and to do action, and action in terms of protection of vulnerable women and children." Callas Foundation's Caroline Peters said these numbers were unacceptable. "And behind every number there's a survivor, often silenced, that's still waiting on justice, so we must do better."
The Western Cape statistics also showed that 76.7% of the victims in all domestic violence-related incidents reported during this period were women.
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