Anti Rape Strategy for the Eastern Cape
Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre would like to thank this esteemed committee for the opportunity to
share with you our ideas on an Any rape strategy for the Eastern Cape. As an NGO working to end gender
based violence and having served more than 14000 women in 2012 alone, we believe that we have gained
some insight into what is needed in an anti-rape strategy.
To begin with, the following elements are essential to a campaign to end rape.
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law reform
training of all service providers
programe reviews and development
provision of support services for survivors
public education and awareness raising including events, actions and activism.
Law reform requires research and analysis to determine whether laws are effective and appropriate. Where
challenges are encountered, we need to request changes in the law.
The police and communities need to know the different kinds of rape as defined in the sexual offences act.
Rape when the perpetrator is known to the victim / Rape by family members / Rape of children Rape by
strangers / Gang rape / Rape within marriage / Rape in prison etc. Each requires a different response.
Training - The protocols regarding rape must be reviewed with the state agents including all police people,
health professionals, social workers court personnel etc. The protocols are not know inspite of the national
guidelines for the police and those for magistrates. Retraining is a good idea. Some NGO’s are able to assist
with the training.
Information for medical practitioners –
Many rape survivors do nor report to the police but go to their GP’s. Not many medical health professionals
know how to deal with rape survivors. Training is needed for all medical doctors in private and public service
The provision of appropriate services and support
The Thuthuzela’s have gone a long way to provide support to survivors. However, there are some
problems with the Thuthuzela centres which include no dedicated doctors so survivors wait from long
periods up to 20 hours to be attended to. When casualty is attending to accident victims, these periods
are longer. The police bring out of date rape kits, incomplete rape kits or they have not rape kits.
These problems must be addressed to ensure the full and proper support to survivors.
Data base development
To assist rape survivors, we need a data base of all health facilities in the province that provide rape medical
forensic examinations and related support services. Not just the Thuthuzela centres but ALL health facilities
that provide services to survivors. It must be language appropriate. This must be widely distributed through
schools, at health facilities, at all public places and through religious institutions. The data base should have
some information on how to prevent a rape and what to do when a rape has taken place.
Prevention
Key to any anti rape strategy is a strong prevention campaign. It must include a multi-sectorial task team
including all stakeholders and departments of the state as well as civil society organisations. Such a campaign
has to include protection mechanisms for women, community safety networks, information centres and strong
messaging against rape. Anti- rape campaigns must avoid blaming women and shaming them causing women
and girls to fear reporting.
Prevention includes training of the police on how to address rape. Recent surveys have indicated that many
police people are not clear on the way to deal with rape.
Anti- rape strategies must target different groups of women and men differently. Young children must be
included in the prevention programmes. Appropriate messaging for such young kids must be developed
A focussed campaign for university and college campuses must be developed as women are very vulnerable in
these spaces.
Prevention campaigns must include the media both written and electronic media. The use of social media
must be explored as most young people use this as a means of communication.
All languages groups must be catered for.
A good example of a powerful campaign is the “Don’t be that guy campaign”
The messaging used on a poster showing a woman lying on a couch says
“Just because she isn’t saying no doesn’t mean she is saying yes,” .
“Sex without consent is sexual assault. Don’t Be That Guy.”
Public education is crucial to an anti-rape strategy. Communities need to know the extent of the rape
the forms that it takes and the mechanism that can provide protection to women and children.
The emphasis of public education is not limited to how women can make themselves less vulnerable,
he said. The campaign mentioned here aims to reach men with the message that they should not be
“that guy,” he said.
We need to think about how to move away from a social support agenda to a behaviour change and a
changes in consciousness. These are two very different approaches. Currently we focus on supporting
survivors and NOT on working for social change.
Thank you
Masimanyane Women’s Support Centre.
Phone: 043 7439169