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JOHANNESBURG, 1 November 2013 (IRIN) – Johannesburg’s glitzy shopping arcades, restaurants and leafy suburbs have come to represent the confident, successful face of South Africa. But there is also a violence here, underlined by the country’s rape statistics, that unites both the townships of the have-nots and the gated communities of the wealthy. South Africa has extremely high levels of sexual assault. “The prevalence of rape, and particularly multiple perpetrator rape… is unusually high,” according…

16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children WHAT IS THE 16 DAYS ACTIVISM? It is a WORLDWIDE Campaign to OPPOSE VIOLENCE against WOMEN and CHILDREN It aims to raise awareness of the NEGATIVE impact that VIOLENCE and ABUSE have on WOMEN and CHILDREN and to RID society of ABUSE PERMANENTLY WHEN DOES THE CAMPAIGN TAKE PLACE? The 16 Days of Activism Campaign is held from 25 November to 10 December every…

Get to a safe place as soon as possible Tell the first person you see that you feel you can trust what has happened to you. This may be difficult for you but it is very important because this person can support your story and back you up in court. If the person is a stranger ask for and keep their name and telephone number and write it down Do not wash yourself or throw…

For purposes of this page, we use the term “rape” to mean all crimes of sexual violence, not just those crimes that would qualify as “rape”. The exact definition of “rape,” “sexual assault,” “sexual abuse” and similar terms differs. Please note that this definition is rather graphic, which is inevitable when describing crimes this violent. “Penetration, no matter how slight, of the vagina or anus with any body part or object, or oral penetration by…

It can be hard to know what to do to help a friend or family member who has been raped or sexually assaulted. Here are some tips on what to do (and what not to do) and how to cope yourself. What to say to a rape or sexual abuse survivor: I’m sorry this happened to you. It wasn’t your fault. You survived; obviously you did the right things. Thank you for telling me. I’m…

It’s important to know that there is no normal or one way to react when you find out someone you care about has survived an act of sexual violence. Regardless of what you’re feeling, these emotions can be intense and difficult to deal with. Learning how to manage these feelings can help you support the survivor in your life and can help you feel less overwhelmed. How am I supposed to react? There is no…

Sexual assault occurs when one person engages in sexual activity with another person, without the consent of the other individual. These acts can be a physical or verbal in nature. Sexual assault can be perpetrated in various ways – it can involve strangers or people who know one another, individuals or groups of people. Positions of authority, blackmail, weapons, or drugs may be used to encourage the submission of the victim. In cases such as sexual…

Reporting the rape: Whether you report the rape to the police is entirely up to you. Although this is the only way in which your rapist will be caught and prosecuted. It is best to report the rape/indecent assault as soon as possible (within the first 72 hours) as the police will need to collect evidence and you will need to undergo a medical examination. However, you can report a rape at any point –…

When a person is raped or sexually assaulted, his or her world is turned upside down. Not only has he or she been violated in the most intimate way possible, he or she has to heal from the assault. But…how? Society is still afraid to talk openly about a rape or sexual assault; people may not know how to approach the rape victim – afraid to say the wrong thing. Every person who has been…