Today student voices affirm Wits solidarity with the millions of people – men, women and children – silenced by rape and sexual violence.
Freedom of Speech is denied to victims of sexual violence. Survivors face victim-blaming, secondary victimisation and social stigma when they speak out about the violence they have experienced.
The Counselling and Careers Development Unit at Wits University joins forces with the Dean of Student Affairs Office, the Division of Student Affairs, the Wits Transformation Office, Students Representative Council, Student Development and Leadership Union; and Drama for Life in the Wits School of Arts to condemn sexual violence of any nature, to support survivors and to encourage the reporting of these atrocious acts along with four other institutions of higher learning to join the Silent Protest.
For the first time since its inception by Rhodes University seven years ago, Wits joins the 7th annual Silence Protest today, Friday, 19 April 2013 adding its voice to thousands of volunteers.
The protest aims to show solidarity with rape survivors who are silenced by sexual violence. Activists at Rhodes University have staged the Silent Protest in order to draw public attention to rape and to demand better services for survivors.
Government crime statistics reveal that 65 000 sexual assaults were reported in South Africa last year. Of these only 6.5% are successfully prosecuted and less than half of 1% of perpetrators will serve any jail time.
All studies agree that the vast majority never report the crime to the police and there are many statistics available focusing on the ratio of reporting to non-reporting of rape survivors: the most conservative estimate comes from Rape Crisis (1 in 4) and the most shocking comes from the SAPS (1 in 25). These statistics translate to anywhere from 260 000 to over 1.5 million rapes annually.
Source : Sapa