North West rape

Photo: Twitter / @tate_musinahama

North West: Survey claims rape stats are “three times worse” than SAPS’ figures

As if the crime stats weren’t severe enough, Doctors Without Borders are claiming that rape figures in North West are far worse than originally reported.

North West rape

Photo: Twitter / @tate_musinahama

No matter what trauma South Africa has gone through, not even the most hardened observed would be able to look at last week’s crime stats without wincing. The data reads more like a horror film than anything else, and statistics on rape are enough to turn the stomach.

Rape data for North West

More than 42 000 cases were reported in South Africa from April 2018 – March 2019. This is up 3.9% from the previous year. The devastating figures come during a time where gender-based violence is the most pressing issue on the national agenda. Numbers like these show just how badly we’re failing to protect our women.

If you live in North West, however, you may have been pleased to see your province has bucked the trend. The region saw the biggest drop in percentages of reported rapes out of all nine provinces. According to SAPS, there has been a 3% decline over the 12-month period.

Doctors Without Borders vs crime stats

However, charity organisation Doctors Without Borders beg to differ. Their representative Cecilia Lamola-Larufi has revealed the findings of a recent survey, which shows just how bad the rape epidemic is in the “Platinum Belt” of South Africa. According to the experts:

  • One in five North West women have been raped in their lifetime.
  • Around 49% of women surveyed have been the victim of “intimate partner violence”.
  • A total of 11 000 women are raped annually in the province – more than three times the amount of recorded rapes listed by SAPS (3 374).

The key here is the word “reported” – a large number of rape incidents aren’t taken to the police, as women remain fearful of their abuser. A lack of faith in the justice system is also cited as a reason for why so many of these crimes simply aren’t picked up by the authorities.

Worst provinces for rape in South Africa

On these principles, one wonders what Doctors Without Borders could find in somewhere like Gauteng. More rapes were reported in this densely-populated province than anywhere else in South Africa – a 4.4% rise in yearly cases resulted in 8 417 rape reports in the past financial annum.

There are also fears for the Eastern Cape, as the province showed the worst year-on-year increase of rape-related crimes. Reports soared by 7.1% over the 12 month period. Things weren’t much better in Mpumalanga either, as crimes related to rape spiked by 7%.