12 February 2013

OPINION
SA's rape crisis: We need boots on the ground
Rhoda Kadalie says ‘femocrats'

Every year some heinous rape or gang rape perpetrated in SA goes viral across the globe. CNN comments that the rape of Anene Booysen "may be the tipping point" for this country. But just last year the world was as outraged as SA felt ashamed at the six young boys who not only gang raped a 17-year old mentally disabled girl but who also audaciously captured it on their cell phone.

Sensitive about its international image, government spokesmen routinely condemn the rapes and the men who perpetrate these barbaric acts. Upstanding citizens like Jay Naidoo makes impassioned pleas for men to stop and for society to take action. To add insult to injury, the Gender Commission adds its voice to the enraged chorus, but they do absolutely nothing to educate the public.

How many tipping points do we need? Recently Marikana was called the tipping point within the employment sector but with the constant spiralling down of our moral fabric, I no longer am shocked about what we are capable of but despair at our inability to stem the tide of this epidemic.

South Africa is a goldmine for the Gender Commission, the Human Rights Commission and the Women's Ministry to do their work. Yet they are clueless as to how to attack the problem. The ‘femocrats' who occupy these constitutional agencies earn too much to be of any use and are accountable to no one. Their country reports are shrouded in turgid UN-speak and massaged statistics.

The annual 16 days of activism is their futile attempt to combat the violence that has become second nature for men. To date, the campaign has had no effect and men are more brutalised than ever. With the high rates of poverty and unemployment, men will continue to use women as the shock absorbers for their frustrations and emasculation. Nurtured in cultures of patriarchy, there seems to be no way out.

But there is a way out as I have experienced first-hand in my work at UWC over the 21 years.  As academic and Gender Equity Officer I engaged the student leaders to work with me in the residences to stamp out sexual violence and harassment. This was accompanied by on-going media campaigns and public debates around policy and implementation.

More importantly the University set up a tribunal where cases were heard and where the law was enforced. Many a bright male student was expelled for sexually harassing women and many a professor was disciplined for exploiting female students.

We need ‘boots on" Commissioners who will sit in magistrate's courts to account how rape cases are processed through the criminal justice system; they need to monitor police stations to see whether or not victims are treated with dignity and respect and whether medico-legal services are provided; they need to ensure that conviction rapes are improved upon from year to year; they need to insist on the provision of sexual offences courts; they need to work with NGOs who engage teachers and principals to include sex education and reproductive health in the curriculum; and they need to advise government how to fund these initiatives.

Millions of Rand goes into supporting the Chapter Nine Institutions. Their tasks are to protect, promote and fulfil human rights - three verbs that to date have had no effect in alerting Commissioners to understand the enormity of the obligations thrust upon them by the Constitution. Our moribund Parliament colludes by failing to hold them accountable. Let us hope Jay Naidoo's call rocks the Commissions and Women's Ministry into action. If this does not, then nothing will.

This article first appeared in Die Burger.

Click here to sign up to receive our free daily headline email newsletter