LOSING GROUND? Making sense of attrition in rape cases

Authors

  • Lillian Artz University of Cape Town
  • Dee Smythe University of Cape Town

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17159/2413-3108/2007/i22a962

Keywords:

crime, rape, South Africa, Sexual Offences Bill

Abstract

South Africa is notorious for being the ‘rape capital of the world.’ The new Sexual Offences Bill introduces a number of legal reforms intended to improve the handling of sexual offences cases. But these new reform efforts will not have the desired impact if laws are not properly implemented or interpreted. It is argued that we need to pay urgent attention to the unacceptable high number of cases that drop out of the system, and ensure that victims are given the tools and support to participate effectively in the legal process.

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Author Biographies

Lillian Artz, University of Cape Town

Gender, Health & Justice Research Unit

Dee Smythe, University of Cape Town

Gender, Health & Justice Research Unit

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Published

2007-03-08

Issue

Section

Research articles