Authorities of South African universities have been called upon to “provide anonymous and confidential facilities for victims to report sexual violence” if the booming spate of abuse of women on campuses is to abate.
They also need to make it clear that gender-based violence was unacceptable and would be severely punished.
This follows revelation in Parliament by the Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande that there were 247 reported cases of sexual violence, domestic violence and rape at 15 universities across South Africa in the past three years.
But only two cases were reported to the police.
Suggesting that “the scourge of violence on higher education campuses’ may have been under-reported, Democratic Alliance spokeswoman on Higher Education Belinda Bozzoli, who the call, explained:
“Young university women are inhibited from reporting sexual crimes for a variety of reasons, including intimidation, ostracism and embarrassment. Many victims withdraw their cases soon after they have been reported, as reporting is often made taboo.”
The figure was announced in Parliament in a reply by Minister of Higher Education Blade Nzimande to questions asked by Ms. Bozzoli
Nzimande had sent the questions to universities that responded themselves.
Sixty of the cases resulted in internal charges being brought against alleged perpetrators by the universities.
Of the 30 reported cases of rape, only eight reached a conclusion. Of the 68 reports of sexual violence, 38 were taken further and, of the 149 reports of domestic violence among students, 18 were pursued to a conclusion by the universities.
Fort Hare, Wits and Stellenbosch universities, the top universities, recorded the most cases of reported rape in the past three years.
Wits had nine reported rapes, with one disciplinary hearing and one pending outcome. Stellenbosch had five reported cases of rape and Fort Hare had eight, but there were no disciplinary hearings for any of them and no outcomes.
Fort Hare received 70 reports of domestic violence in the past three years, of which none appears to have been taken further, either internally or externally.
Bozzoli said universities appeared unable to pursue cases of sexual violence and rape reported through internal disciplinary procedures to their logical conclusion. Furthermore, only a tiny number appeared to be prosecuted through the courts, she said.
The universities need to provide anonymous and confidential facilities for victims to report sexual violence against women on campus. They also need to make it clear that gender-based violence was unacceptable and would be severely punished, she added.