She wants to run but has nowhere to go. She wants to scream but has no voice. She wants to cry but has no tears. She is alone. Walls. Walls. That’s all she has. Four walls surrounding her, covered in cracks and mould. No picture frames. No light. Just walls. She lies curled up on […]
Image above: Pelisa Nokoyo – Rape Crisis Court Supporter This year’s theme for International Women’s Day is #BeBoldForChange. Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust has embodied this by launching our Rape Survivors’ Justice Campaign in 2016 to lobby for a significant change in how South Africa’s criminal justice system deals with sexual offences cases. The Rape […]
Not everyone knows that if you have donated an amount to a Public Benefit Organisation (PBO) and you are a tax payer then you qualify for a tax deduction. As an approved PBO Rape Crisis has the privilege and responsibility of spending public funds, which we derive from donations and from grants. In order to […]
Nearing the end of February, we have a lot to reflect on, chew on and (eventually) spit out. Both the State of the Nation Address (SONA) by our President, Jacob Zuma, as well as the Budget Speech by Pravin Gordhan, our Minister of Finance, left a bitter taste in my mouth. During SONA, our country’s […]
My name is Nomnqweno Nomxhego-Gqada and I’m 35 years old. I obtained my Bachelor of Social Work at the University of the Western Cape. I’m a humble, goal-oriented and very persistent person. When I was 18 years old, I joined Rape Crisis as a counselling volunteer. Back then my interest was stirred by the lack of […]
Dear supporter, Rape Crisis has a dream of a world where women feel safe and are free from sexual violence – a world in fact where everyone is of free from rape. This year you helped us train the volunteer counsellors who are there to offer support and empowerment to anyone traumatised by rape. You […]
I am a middle-class, white, cis-gender woman who is perceived to be heterosexual. Because of this I am protected in many ways from the hate and violence that is levelled against poor, black queer people like Noluvo Swelindawo, who was kidnapped from her house in Driftsands and murdered because she is a lesbian. I am […]
I know you know all about the Rape Survivors’ Justice Campaign, because you’ve liked them on Facebook and you’re following them on Instagram and Twitter. Just to recap, it’s a project started to hold the government accountable to its promise of more sexual offences courts. On Friday 25th November, myself, three other students along with a […]
It’s also the story of one of our country’s specialist sexual offences courts and how this court helped her do it. Walking home from a friend’s house one Sunday afternoon nineteen year old Dalia realised she was going to be home later than she had told her parents. Taking a short cut through an abandoned […]
South Africa’s criminal justice system is confusing. Not because it is littered jargon about clauses and by-laws (any self-respecting Suits and The Good Wife fan can figure that out) but rather because of its vacillating treatment of those in pursuit of justice. Roughly between 4% and 8% of reported sexual violence cases ends in conviction. […]