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Rape survivors need comprehensive, long-term health care and support to prevent HIV: Evidence from the Rape Impact Cohort Evaluation (RICE) study - Research Brief

Background

Rape is a gross violation of human rights and its consequences impact lives across South Africa. Women, girls, boys and non-binary persons are mostly the targets of rape. In the 2019-2020 reporting period, 42 289 rapes were reported to the South African Police Services. This amounts to 116 rapes per day1 but is not a true reflection, as most rapes perpetrated are not reported.

Stepping Stones

What is Stepping Stones?

Stepping Stones is a workshop series designed as a tool to help promote sexual health, improve psychological well-being and prevent IPV and HIV. The workshops address questions of gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, gender violence, communication and relationship skills. In doing so they recognise that our sexual lives are embedded in a broader context of our relationships with our  partners, families and the community or society in which we live.

National Strategic Plan on Gender-Based Violence & Femicide

The Gender-based Violence and Femicide National Strategic Plan (GBVF-NSP) was produced by the Interim Steering Committee established in April 2019 to respond to the gender-based violence and femicide crisis following the historic 2018 Presidential Summit on this subject.

Medico-legal findings from examination of rape victims in South Africa

The National Directives and Instructions on Conducting a Forensic Examination on Survivors of Sexual Offence Cases in terms of the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act 2007, provide for standardized procedures for conducting forensic examination on sexual offence survivors in all health establishments (1). Together with the National Sexual Assault Policy and the National Management Guidelines for Sexual Assault Care (2), the Health Directives provide for a full range of comprehensive services for victims (1).

Attrition of rape matters at the prosecution stage of the South African criminal justice system

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act No. 32 of 2007(1) provides a legal framework for responding to sexual offences and an integrated response framework for victim-friendly service provision including the prescription of directives for the different actors within the criminal justice system. The National Prosecuting Authority has responsibility for witness preparation, prosecution of the offender and court-support referrals to health and social support services.

Attrition of rape matters at the police investigation stage of the South African criminal justice system

The South African Police Service (SAPS) National Instruction 3/2008: Sexual Offences contains guidelines for police to provide victim-friendly services to victims of sexual offences. Investigating Officers (IOs) in the Family Violence, Child Protection and Sexual Offences Unit (FCS) have the responsibility for investigating cases and preparing the evidence for a trial.

Formative Research and Development of a Sexual Violence Prevention Intervention for South African Higher Education Institutions

Comprehensive literature reviews conducted to inform the development of the South African national policy framework to prevent and respond to sexual gender-based violence (SGBV) in the higher education sector found that there is a lack of rigorously tested and evaluated campus-based interventions in the country. Rigorously tested evidence-informed, campus-based interventions that combine sexuality, gender transformation and self-defense components currently do not exist in South Africa.

Rape Justice In South Africa: A Retrospective Study Of The Investigation, Prosecution And Adjudication Of Reported Rape Cases From 2012

Rape is a significant societal and public health problem in South Africa. The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act No. 32 of 2007 provides a legal framework for responding to sexual offences and an integrated response framework for victim-friendly service provision including the prescription of directives for the different actors within the criminal justice system.

Development of an Information Management System on Violence Against Women and Children in South Africa

There is wide-spread acknowledgement that accurate data on the level of violence against women and children is not available in South Africa. As part of the DFID-funded Safer South Africa programme, the Gender & Health Unit of the South African Medical Research Council (SAMRC) was tasked to establish the location of the data pertaining to violence against women and children, as well as how this data is used The goal was to inform the conceptualisation of an information management system.

Capacity assessment of mental health services for rape victims in acute health-care settings: A rapid appraisal of services in the Western Cape Province

Sexual violence and HIV are two serious public health problems in South Africa. Population-based prevalence studies with men found 28.37% disclose rape perpetration and 12.25% of women report victimisation (Machisa, Jewkes et al. 2011). In 2012, UNAIDS reported substantial decreases in new HIV infections, but HIV remains a critical health problem in South Africa, with 5.6 million people living with HIV in South Africa (UNAIDS, 2012; Shisana, 2005). In populations with high HIV prevalence such as South Africa, HIV transmission through rape is a serious issue.

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