The trauma of the court process is one reason why rape is an under reported crime. Now women have it from the horse's mouth that before reporting a violation, they must consider whether they led their attacker on. And in culturally diverse South Africa, answering this question is a subjective affair - hardly the stuff of legal proceedings. For some, an exposed female ankle or neck is believed to be sexually suggestive. Others feel women should not wear trousers since they reveal the crotch.
Rape is a violent crime of alarming proportions.
No one would suggest that survivors of other violent crimes 'invited' the attack. Lisa Vetten and Naomi Webster in this issue explore the causes of the high rape rate and the problems with rape laws and sentencing procedures. And while problems in the legal system affect the whole country, little is known about the dynamics specific to these areas which threaten women's safety. Improved sentencing procedures should serve as a deterrent. Ultimately though, prevention will depend on localised understandings and interventions.