Expressions | Gender-based violence

Rape in South Africa is a pervasive and deeply entrenched societal problem, rooted in historical, cultural, and structural inequalities. The country consistently reports one of the highest rates of sexual violence in the world, and while the law criminalizes rape, enforcement is often inadequate, leaving many survivors without justice. Compounding this crisis is the prevalence of rape culture within educational institutions, particularly universities, where societal norms, peer pressure, and institutional shortcomings contribute to the normalization and perpetuation of sexual violence. While South Africa has progressive laws against sexual violence, underreporting, insufficient investigations, victim-blaming, and slow judicial processes undermine their effectiveness. Statistics from the South African Police Service (SAPS) reveal alarming trends: a rape occurs every few minutes, with many cases unreported due to fear, stigma, or distrust in the justice system. The author of “I was raped but I came out free” Zisanda Nxokweni has written a book about her rape ordeal. She will share in detail about her different times she was raped by different men. For more news, visit sabcnews.com and #SABCNews on all Social Media platforms.