Hollow words from a government that turns water cannon on female protesters
Year after year, the government makes empty promises to a country with one of the highest rates of rape, domestic violence and intimate femicide in the world
SA is a country with one of the highest rates of rape, domestic violence and intimate femicide in the world, despite the fact that we have one of the most progressive constitutions in the world that protects women’s privacy, bodily integrity and right to life. As a nation, we are facing a social crisis and an unravelling of the social fabric. We have failed to implement the law and enforce mandatory sentencing for perpetrators. Bail is also too easily awarded. There is underresourcing of trauma centres, sexual offences courts and shelters. The ongoing secondary victimisation of rape survivors in courts also contributes to underreporting of crimes against women.
If ever there was an indictment against the government’s lack of political will to deal with gender-based violence it was the mass protests and rallies at parliament over a period of three days last week. The battle cry was “Enough is enough”! ..
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