THOUGHT THURSDAYS
#SAFEHomes: Shattering the Silence on Sexual Assault in South Africa
While public awareness campaigns often focus on stranger danger, a harsh reality exists: a significant portion of sexual assault occurs within the supposed safety of our homes.
April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, a global call to action to prevent sexual violence and support survivors. According to the South African Police Service, 12 211 rape cases were reported to the police between October and December 2023. The Police Minister, Bheki Cele stated: “What is still worrying and of great concern is that the majority of the rapes, were committed at victims’ residences. The perpetrators were either neighbours, friends or family members.” While reported numbers tell us something, research has shown that many incidences of rape and sexual assault are unreported and it has been estimated that every 3 hours, a woman is raped. The intersection of violence against women and children is closely linked especially in context and perspective that these crimes are mostly committed by people known to the victims. The Optimus Study on Child Abuse, Violence and Neglect in South Africa reveals a staggering 35.4% of adolescents – nearly one in three – have experienced some form of sexual abuse.
These known and unknown numbers are people and experiences that translate to broken lives, shattered trust, and a climate of fear that permeates the very space where we should feel most secure. In South Africa, where relationships, homes and communities are increasingly unsafe, we are using the sexual assault month to highlight the issue, activating individuals in families, neighbourhoods and all spaces of society to break the silence and act 365 Days to end the scourge of sexual assaults!
Why Homes Become Battlegrounds
Sexual assault and rape is a form of gender-based violence , with women, children and gender-diverse persons mostly being victimised and most men being the perpetrators. Research has shown in various ways that “rape is not about sexual desire. It is about power and an entitlement to women’s bodies.” People in our societies form relationships and are organised into families, they live in common places we call home and those homes make up communities. These are three of the most intimate spaces in which people live in, with love, care, support, safety and security. The capacity to extend these fundamental needs is based on equality or the ability to not try to exercise power and control over each other. Sadly, our relationships, homes and communities are made up of people who are classified, divided according to their sex which is linked to gender in a binary way, man (masculine) and female (feminine). Such division also has created an order to how life is lived, with masculine identities linked to men being characterised as powerful and female identities linked to women being characterised as weak and subservient to men. Thus, because of this gendered hierarchy in our society, we have a patriarchal order in which men’s masculinities are associated with power, control, dominance that has created a system.
This structured system in society, in intimate spaces where men and women enter into relationships, create homes and communities in unequal terms often results in women experiencing abuse and violence. Women’s experiences of violence are then linked to children’s experiences of violence in this patriarchal system, because children too are deemed powerless, thus there is an intersection. Violence against women and children that happen in relationships, homes and communities that is perpetrated mostly by men is further complicated by the fact that there are familial and love relationships, which societal norms in general consider private. These norms foster silence and any disclosure of the familial abuse is seen as a betrayal of the family, a break in relations and the maintenance of the order. Gender-based power imbalances often go unchecked within families as society continues to impose harmful gender norms, creating an environment where vulnerability of women, children and gender-diverse person are exploited.
Breaking the Cycle: A Collective Responsibility
Combating sexual assault within homes requires a multifaceted approach. We need to:
- Empower open communication: Honest conversations about consent, boundaries, and creating and modelling healthy relationships which are crucial from a young age. Educational programs in schools and communities can equip people with the knowledge and vocabulary to speak up.
- Shift the narrative: We must dismantle the myth that sexual violence is perpetrated only by strangers. Educating communities to recognise the signs of abuse within families and support survivors in coming forward is vital.
- Strengthening systemic prevention and response: Strengthening criminal justice and law enforcement systems and fostering a culture where reporting is encouraged will deter crime and provide justice for victims.
- Invest in support services: Survivors need access to trauma-informed therapy, court support, and safe spaces for healing. Organisations like MOSAIC play a critical role in this process.
The Power of Bystander Intervention
Anyone who witnesses or becomes aware of sexual harassment, assault and abuse incidences MUST report it.
- Direct: Speak to the parties directly and calmly.
- Distract: Interrupt the situation.
- Delegate: Recruit others around you to help diffuse the situation.
- Document: It can be helpful if you take video, write it down and submit.
- Delay: Don’t react, rather support and ask the victim what they need.
The Road to a Safer South Africa
Eradicating sexual assault in South African homes is a long and complex journey. However, through collective action, we can create a society where homes are truly safe. Let us use this Sexual Assault Awareness Month to break the silence, hold perpetrators accountable, and empower survivors to heal. By working together, we can realise a South Africa where the concept of a #SAFEHome becomes a reality.
This is a call to action. Share your thoughts, experiences, and resources in the comments below. Together, let's create a future where every home is a place of safety and respect.
If you experience domestic, intimate-partner or sexual violence, you can report to a Thuthuzela Care Centre directly or through the police. Survivors of sexual assault need to get medical treatment within 72 hours of the horrific experience, and Thuthuzela Care Centres are places of safety where you will receive psycho-social support, medical and legal help.
Visit www.mosaic.org.za for more information or contact us on 021 761 7585