A pandemic that demands urgent action

CRISIS CANNOT BE OVERSTATED

- NADIA KHAN

LOCAL activists have likened the surge in sexual violence to a pandemic, urging for immediate action and systemic change to protect victims and prevent future offences.

According to the South African Police Service (SAPS) crime statistics for the third quarter of the 2024/2025 financial year, there were 14 973 sexual offences reported, of which 2 818 were in KZN.

Of the offences, there were 11 803 cases of rape, 2 188 sexual assaults, 748 attempted sexual offences and 234 contact sexual offences.

Lubna Nadvi, a board member of the Advice Desk for the Abused, said the high prevalence of sexual violations was due to broader society focusing on responding to the incidents after they had occurred, rather than adopting a preventative approach and strategy.

"Instead of investing in school or early childhood development-based interventions to teach young people about how to engage each other respectfully, what gender-based violence (GBV) is and how it should be prevented; money is spent on hosting talk workshops.

"The problem is well-known and should be managed before incidents of GBV occur.

"While post-incident intervention is equally important to provide support to survivors, more needs to be done to ensure the incidents don't occur in the first place," she said.

Nadvi said they assisted victims seeking help for various issues, such as general abuse, domestic violence, rape, child molestation, sexual assault and harassment, among other matters per month.

"The numbers can range from about 15 to 50. However, during and after holiday periods, the number of individuals seeking help tends to increase. Some people endure abuse and violence for months, even years and only come to seek help after they cannot bear it any longer or are convinced to get help."

Nadvi said cases ranged from a person being slapped to ending up in hospital with severe injuries.