Rape survivors say knowing that perpetrators hardly get prosecuted for their crimes is one thing but knowing that cases also get dropped is a hard pill to swallow.
The survivors were speaking to YNews, reacting to the news that more than 1 400 rape cases were withdrawn due to insufficient evidence in the 2023/24 financial year.
This was divulged by police minister, Senzo Mchunu, in response to a question posed by Rise Mzansi in Parliament.
According to the police, at least 120 rape cases are reported daily in the country. The recent crime statistics revealed that rapes have increased by 0.6% to 9 309, with most of them reported in Gauteng, KwaZulu-Natal, the Eastern Cape, and the Western Cape.
While one survivor said seeking help is sufficient enough to serve as evidence, others say knowing that so many cases get dropped is a sobering reality, which will definitely renforce the belief that reporting rape yields minimal justice for the survivors.
The Tears Foundation shares the GBV survivors’ concerns.
The foundation’s Kavya Swaminathan says the gap between the number of rape cases reported and that of successful prosecutions shows that the justice system is failing survivors at multiple stages.
According to the activist, the dropping of rape cases highlights the systemic failures that many survivors have long been aware of, which discourages victims from reporting the crime.
Swaminathan says this discrepancy shows that the country’s criminal justice system not only struggles to collect sufficient evidence but that survivors also face significant barriers.
She says it also speaks to how GBV perpetrators continue to live their lives with impunity, while victims are abandoned.
According to the Tears Foundation, this sheds light on the sheer scale of the problem; opens up the opportunity for public discourse and advocacy for systemic reforms.
Anti-violence advocacy group, Voice It In Action, has also reflected on this, with its president Kgothatso Moloto suggesting that rape cases should rather be saved in the SAPS data collection system as most rapists are repeat offenders.
According to Moloto, this very sensitive data will come in handy when the rapist is caught down the line, as it will link them to several other rape cases and in turn vindicate the initial survivor.
He says there should be a readjustment to resources such as funds not only for the police but also for organisations that offer assistance to GBV survivors.
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