When compared to National Crime Statistics, the first national gender-based violence Prevalence study just released by the Human Sciences Research Council (HSRC) shows that only three out of every 100 women who suffer physical abuse and only one out of five women who suffer sexual abuse report it to the authorities.
According to civil rights organisation Action Society, this underscores the fact that the Crime Statistics reveal only a fraction of the true problem of violence against women and children in South Africa and that physical and sexual abuse have become normal in relationships.
According to the study a total of 36% of women in South Africa – an estimated 7.8 million – have experienced physical and/or sexual abuse at some point in their lives and that 24% – an estimated 3.4 million – have experienced it at the hands of an intimate partner.
The study commenced in February 2022 and respondents were asked to reveal if they had experienced violent or sexual abuse during the 12 months before. From the results, an estimated total of 1 338 336 women were abused roughly between January and December of 2021 and 432 525 women were sexually abused.
“Worryingly, according to the same period’s crime statistics only 47 721 cases of Assault with the intent to cause grievous bodily harm (Assault GBH) were reported and 97 825 cases of sexual offences including rape were reported,” Action Society said.
“A very worrying trend is that the majority of violent crimes are reported in non-married, cohabitating relationships.”
“The study should serve as a wake-up call to women. If you enter into a cohabitating relationship, especially with someone with a tendency to abuse alcohol and who shows a pattern of controlling behaviour, you are very likely to become a victim of physical or sexual abuse,” Action Society said.
“We urge women who fall prey to abuse to get out of violent relationships and to report the crimes. We need to change the narrative around violence against women and children and we will only succeed if a clear message is communicated regarding unacceptable behaviour in relationships,” the organisation concluded.
