Rape stats reality
Has rape become 'normalised' in South African society?
Article: Qhakaza Mbali Mthembu
On a laid back Wednesday night, having yet another session of girl talk, sipping on cosmos (being true Sex in the City fanatics) my friend tells me, rather nonchalantly, that she was raped a couple of years ago.
She continues with the conversation like what she just said was completely normal; the kinds of things we all throw into a conversation. "It's not a big deal, many people have been through worse," she says.
My jaw hit the ground! I don't know if it's just the women I meet but it seems that every woman can tell a story of how they have been victims of crime. It's quite interesting to see that the numbers of women who say they have been affected by crime are so low:
10% of women had been victims of crime in the last year.
26% of victims of crime feel unsafe or very unsafe at home, compared to only 10% of those who have not been victims of crime in the last year.
I really expected them to be a lot higher.
I would love to be able to walk down any street without having to be on the lookout for approaching shadows, keep an eye on my bag, use the other to constantly look of my shoulder all the while trying not to get lost down some dodgy dark alley. But that will have to remain a dream for a while I guess.
Can't help but wonder... when does the revolution come? When will women be safe in their own homes?
Do you feel that rape has become a norm in SA society? And can SA's crime situation can every be fixed? If so, how?
- Women24