Nearly a third of both men and women surveyed said forcing sex on someone you know is not sexual violence. Some girls even responded that they did not have the right not to be subjected to sexual violence. Youth attitudes regarding violence against girls help perpetuate violence. Sexual Violence in the Schools South African girls face the threat of multiple forms of violence at school. This includes rape, sexual abuse, and sexualized touching or emotional abuse in the form of threats of violence.
Girls also encounter constant highly sexualized verbal degradation in the school environment.
These forms of gender violence are largely committed by other students, and in some instances by teachers or other school employees. Even strangers to the school environment target young women in schools, or on their way to and from school. Human Rights Watch found that sexual abuse and harassment of girls by both teachers and other students is widespread in South Africa. In each of the three provinces visited, we documented cases of rape, assault, and sexual harassment of girls committed by both teachers and male students. Girls who encountered sexual violence at school were raped in school toilets, in empty classrooms and hallways, and in hostels and dormitories.