SA rape stats fail to capture scale of crisis - NPO
A Pietermaritzburg-based
non-profit says South Africa's rape statistics do not reflect the full scale of
the crisis as many cases continue to go unreported.
"As we know, there are a lot of rape survivors that do not report these incidences. Also, we know when it comes to children, they don't report the cases immediately.
"Sometimes they report these cases a year later, sometimes two years later. So, as Lifeline Pietermartizburg we believe the problem is much bigger than what has been presented by the Minister of Police," said Lifeline and Rape Crisis Centre Director, Sinikiwe Biyela.
Biyela has been commenting on the alleged rape of a seven-year-old girl at her school in Matatiele in the Eastern Cape.
READ: Childline: Teacher sex offence screening must be ongoing
The October case has sparked national outrage with demonstrations held under the #JusticeForCwecwe movement.
Last week, Police Minister Senzo Mchunu revealed that 259 rape suspects were arrested in a single week. 95 of them were nabbed in KZN.
Despite securing 4,500 convictions in the past two years, Biyela says survivors are still being failed by what she's called, "a weak," justice system.
"The justice system in South Africa has failed women and children. Boys, they find themselves being targeted and being raped daily. So, until something gets done in terms of the justice system, we are not going to be seeing any changes because there are perpetrators of rape".
"Once they've raped the child and they got away with it, for them, it gives them a licence to continue raping other children because they know now that the laws of the country are weak."
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