As South Africans prepare to celebrate Women’s Day today‚ sexual violence is still at the centre of challenges facing women‚ a study reveals.
And the silent protest by four young women during President Jacob Zuma’s speech at the local government elections results operations centre in Pretoria on Saturday‚ according to the study‚ has brought the issue of sexual violence against women into sharp focus.
The women‚ dressed in black‚ stood silently in front of the stage carrying placards as Zuma spoke.
They held placards referencing Zuma’s rape accuser‚ Khwezi.
The latest Pulse of the People study undertaken by Ipsos in June and July shows that more than 70% of South Africans‚ both male and female and of all ages‚ agree that the names of rapists should be published in a register open to the public.
This‚ says Ipsos‚ affirms the public’s strong opposition to sexual violence.
The study was done through 3861 personal face-to-face interviews conducted with “randomly selected” adult South Africans.
The interviews were done in the homes and home languages of respondents.
“Only about four in every 10 (38%) adults say that the government is handling this issue ‘very well’ or ‘fairly well’‚” Ipsos said.
Last year this proportion stood at 44% “thus satisfaction with the situation is on the decline.
“Again‚ as in the past‚ there is not much of a difference between the views of women (37% say the government is handling this issue well) and men (40%).
“This year only 14% (women and men) are of the opinion that the government is handling violence against women and children ‘very well’.”
According to the study‚ almost a third (30%) of South African adults believe that a woman’s place is in the house.
This percentage is up from 24% last year.
“It is clear that we are very far from achieving the equality specified in our constitution. Men (34%) feel stronger about this than women (27%).
“However‚ it is not necessarily older people (like one would conventionally believe) who feel the strongest about this‚ but rather those in the 35-49 age group where 32% agreed with the statement‚” says Ipsos.
l See also page 2
Study puts sexual violence under spotlight
And the silent protest by four young women during President Jacob Zuma’s speech at the local government elections results operations centre in Pretoria on Saturday‚ according to the study‚ has brought the issue of sexual violence against women into sharp focus.
The women‚ dressed in black‚ stood silently in front of the stage carrying placards as Zuma spoke.
They held placards referencing Zuma’s rape accuser‚ Khwezi.
The latest Pulse of the People study undertaken by Ipsos in June and July shows that more than 70% of South Africans‚ both male and female and of all ages‚ agree that the names of rapists should be published in a register open to the public.
This‚ says Ipsos‚ affirms the public’s strong opposition to sexual violence.
The study was done through 3861 personal face-to-face interviews conducted with “randomly selected” adult South Africans.
The interviews were done in the homes and home languages of respondents.
“Only about four in every 10 (38%) adults say that the government is handling this issue ‘very well’ or ‘fairly well’‚” Ipsos said.
Last year this proportion stood at 44% “thus satisfaction with the situation is on the decline.
“Again‚ as in the past‚ there is not much of a difference between the views of women (37% say the government is handling this issue well) and men (40%).
“This year only 14% (women and men) are of the opinion that the government is handling violence against women and children ‘very well’.”
According to the study‚ almost a third (30%) of South African adults believe that a woman’s place is in the house.
This percentage is up from 24% last year.
“It is clear that we are very far from achieving the equality specified in our constitution. Men (34%) feel stronger about this than women (27%).
“However‚ it is not necessarily older people (like one would conventionally believe) who feel the strongest about this‚ but rather those in the 35-49 age group where 32% agreed with the statement‚” says Ipsos.
l See also page 2
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