"The "Silence" of the Church in South Africa on rape"

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Date

1997

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

University of the Western Cape

Abstract

My interest in the subject of rape stems mainly from three sources. First of all, I was the hospital chaplain of the Congregational Church at both Groote Schuur and Tygerberg Hospitals, where I had the opportunity to counsel rape survivors in 1991 and 1992. Secondly, rape is quite frequent in my community. I have witnessed personally four rapes, three of them gang related. Thirdly, research on rape indicates that South Africa has the highest rape statistics in the world. South Africa's rape statistics show that reported cases are more than twice that of ) any other country and the rate is still rising (Rape Crisis 1994). Of all the rapes, 18,90% occur in the Witwatersrand, 17,48o/o in the Western Cape, 14,54o/o in Natal, 10,72% in the Eastern Cape and 8,30% in Soweto (Annual Report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1992:61). Rape statistics from 1991-1995 I indicate that rape is constantly on the increase. - ln 1991 ,22761 rapes were reported to the South African police (Annual Report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1992:52). - ln 1992,24 360 cases were reported to the police. That is an increase of approximately 7,03o/o (Annual Report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1992:52). - ln 1993, 27 056 cases were reported to the police with an increase of 11,07o/o (Annual Report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1993:96). - ln 1994, 32107 cases were reported to the police (Rape Crisis Statistics 1994). ln the Western Cape a total ol5 524 cases were reported and 37,47o/o was solved (Reported crimes: Selected categories Western Cape Region 1994). - From 1987 to 1992, the frequency of rape increased by 34,25% (Annual Report of the Commissioner of the South African Police 1992:61). - ln 1995, 34 783 cases were reported to the police nationally. In the Western Cape reported rape cases were 5 465. The reported rape cases for 1996 is not available yet (Rape Crisis 1997).

Description

Magister Theologiae - MTh

Keywords

Church documents, South Africa, Rape, Silence, Patriarchy, Vogelman, Women and violence, Suffering, Theories of atonement, Liturgy

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