Statistics on Violence Against Women in South Africa and Internationally
(NICRO Women's Support Centre, October 1998)

Compiled by Dawn Blaser, NICRO Women's Support Centre, Tel: (021) 422-1690

Introduction

NICRO is often asked (by the media, researchers and the general public) for statistics on the extent of domestic violence and rape in South Africa. While numbers of reported rapes are available, very little research has been done into the extent of domestic violence. The statistics below have been compiled to give the reader all the information which is available to us to date. We encourage other organisations to add to these statistics as new information becomes available. All attempts have been made to accurately note the source of the statistics. The reference information in italics in brackets after each statistic refers to catalouging at the NICRO Women's Support Centre's Resource Centre (Tel: 021-422-1690)

Please bear in mind that while these statistics may be shocking, domestic violence, rape and child abuse are in fact notoriously under reported crimes and thus the prevalence of abuse is most likely much higher then even these statistics suggest. It is also important to note that studies conducted at different times and under different circumstances may provide different results. Thus, it is important to take the cumulative effect into consideration as well as the legitimacy and authority of the organisation or individual providing the statistic.

Domestic Violence in South Africa

  • 1 in every 4 South African women or 25% of women in RSA are assaulted by their boyfriend or husband every week.
    (UN Children's Emergency Fund as quoted in YOU Magazine 26/01/95 )

  • 80% of violence that women suffer...they suffer in their homes at the hands of the man who supposedly loves them.
    (450.3/1590 The Law: Rape Crisis Cape Town 1989 Pg. 24)

  • Department of Justice estimates that one out of every four South African women are survivors of domestic violence.
    (450.311. Domestic Violence: Submission to the SALC in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1, May 1997)

  • 43% of 159 women surveyed had experienced battering and marital rape.
    ([on Shelf] Promoting Personal Safety For Women. Women set an agenda for policy formation. Moira Maconachie & Mikki van Zyl. Human Sciences Research Council © 1994.The Sample size for this research project included 159 women living in the Cape Town Metropolitan area. The sample population was not randomly chosen but was carefully selected to include a wide range of women and social service providers. Pg.61)

  • 1 in 6 women is battered by her partner.
    ([on Shelf] Promoting Personal Safety For Women. Women set an agenda for policy formation. Moira Maconachie & Mikki van Zyl. Human Sciences Research Council © 1994; NICRO based on studies done in Cape Town)

  • A study of 600 pregnant and non-pregnant teenage girls in Cape Town, 60% respondents said they had been beaten by their partner.
    (Cape Argus Jan. 7, 1998).

  • 1 in 4 women was being abused.
    (Giovina Nusca, Women's Bureau at the University of South Africa as reported in the Cape Argus, June 9, 1994).

  • The average woman stays in an abusive relationship for 10.5 years before leaving.
    (Rape Crisis Shelter Statistics, 1988).

  • In S. Africa 1 in every 6 women is abused by her husband or partner.
    (450.7/1017(1) May 13-14, 1996. Jay Watson, The Institute for Multi-Party Democracy and the Joint Center for Political and Economic Studies hosted workshops in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu, Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape on Domestic Violence and the Transformation of the Legal System and the Police Force. The Information is based on proceedings from a workshop held by the Western Cape Network on Violence Against Women Pg. 1)

  • In 40% of all cases referred to this office, violence or threat of violence played a role in the breakdown of the relationship.
    (A random sample in the office of the family advocate as mentioned in a newspaper article, no date provided)

  • 1 in 6 women in S. Africa is assaulted by her male partner.
    (450.7/1016 D. Hansson, 1991, as cited in Battered Women. An Invisible Issue by K. Ross,)

  • A woman suffers being battered an average of 39 times before she eventually seeks outside help.
    (460.05/1026 Burman, Katz and Partners, Port Elizabeth, paper entitled: Prevention of Family Violence Act 133/1993 Sept. 1994, pg. 2)

  • Every week an average of 4 women in Cape Town flee from their partners in fear of their lives.
    (Newspaper article, no date provided, "Violence against women one of the major challenges facing a new S.A.")

  • About 423 cases of violence against women are reported every month in the 4 magisterial districts of Wynberg, Cape Town, Athlone, and Bellville.
    (Newspaper Article, no date given: "Violence Against women one of the Major challenges facing a new S.A." quoting NICRO)

  • Prevalence of domestic violence against women was found to be 38.3% of which 65.2%, or 1 in 4, was perpetrated by the husband.
    (The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR. Pg. 7)

  • In 45.3% of the cases the violence was observed by another party.
    (The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR. Pg. 7)

  • In 47.8% of the cases the perpetrator was under the influence of alcohol or drugs.
    (The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR. Pg. 7)

  • 1 in 4 South African women are victims of gender violence.
    (Estimate by Angless T. 1992, as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR., Pg. 7)

  • 70% of women who had experienced violence had done so at the hand of a husband or live-in boyfriend.
    (The Institute of Criminology at UCT, as quoted in the Plainsman, November 8, 1989)

  • Approximately 31,000 interdicts were issued in the Western Cape in terms of the Prevention of Family Violence Act for the period December 1993 to November 1997, of whom approximately 98% were to women and 2% to men.
    (Survey of all Magesterial Courts in the Western Cape by NICRO 1998.)

International Domestic Violence Statistics

  • In Canada, a quarter of women interviewed in a 1993 study reported having been assaulted by a current or former partner.
    (Cape Argus, April 14, 1998)

  • At least 1 out of every 10 married women or women in common-law relationships in Canada are physically assaulted by their mates.
    (460.9/1106 Ottawa Canadian Advisory Committee on the Status of Women, Jan., 1980; Michael Smith, "Woman Abuse in Toronto: Incidence, Prevalence and Demographic Risk Markers," Dept. Of Sociology, York University, North York, Ontario, April 1988 as cited in Linda McLeod's, Wife Battering in Canada: The Vicious Circle Pg. 6)

  • Family violence afflicts more than a quarter of all households in China's Southern Fujian Province.
    (1996 survey by the Fujian Woman's Federation that showed 28% of households in the province admitted spousal abuse, emphasis added, as cited in the Cape Argus Jan. 10, 1998)

  • In Columbia, 20% of all women had been beaten by a partner.
    (The Columbian Demographic and Health Survey, 1991 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • 80% of women in Ecuador report having been beaten.
    (American Writer, Marilyn French as quoted in a newspaper article, no date available)

  • In Ireland, in 40-60% of cases involving battered women, at least one child was also being abused.
    (Linda Regan, Irish Times 1994, Conference of the Federation of Refuges)

  • In Kenya 42% of women are abused by their partners.
    (The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • In Kissi district in Kenya, 42% of women surveyed reported regular beatings by their husbands.
    (An un-named study conducted in 1990 as quoted in the Cape Argus, April 14, 1998)

  • In Norway, 25% of female Gynaecology patients are affected by domestic violence.
    (Schei and Bakketeig, 1989 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • Papua New Guinea's figures are around 60% of women experience domestic violence.
    (Bradley, 1988 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • In Papua New Guinea, 2/3 (66.66%) of rural and 56% of urban low-income women reported being beaten by their present partner.
    (An un-named study conducted in 1986 as cited in the Cape Argus, April 14, 1998)

  • Papua New Guinea, a recent survey found 65% of men thought it acceptable to use violence to control their wives.
    (Cape Argus, March 28, 1994)

  • In Peru 33% of women are abused by their partners.
    (The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • In the UK, between 1 in 4 and 1 in 10 women are physically abused.
    (ELLE Magazine, November 1993)

  • In the UK, 25% of all reported assaults are by men on their female partners.
    (ELLE Magazine, November 1993)

  • In the UK, 45,000 marriages are ended annually as a result of the husband's violence.
    (ELLE Magazine, November 1993)

  • In the UK, A study claims that 90% of women are afraid to go out alone after dark, yet a woman is far more likely to be beaten or raped by a man she knows.
    (ELLE Magazine, November 1993)

  • American studies suggest that 34% of all women will be physically assaulted by intimate partners.
    (Browne, 1993; National Committee, 1989 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • Every 18 seconds a woman in the U.S. is battered.
    (Newspaper article, no date available)

  • Research in America indicates that only 1 in every 10 men who beat their wives has a chance of being cured.
    (You Magazine, August 1, 1990)

Alcohol, Drug and Health Results from Abuse in South Africa and Internationally

  • 1 of 4 women in abusive relationships attempts suicide, a third abuse alcohol, and 1 out of 10 abused drugs.
    (Motsei, 1993, as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • Victimized women have a greater risk of alcohol use in response to depression.
    (Shields and Hanneke, 1983, as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • 40.6% of all trauma cases and 7.8% of deaths in the MRC's Cape Metropolitan Study are due to domestic violence.
    (Trauma Yearbook, Helm Publishing Company, Craighall © 1993 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR Pg.2)

  • 1 in 50 women annually require medical care for injuries due to violence.
    (Steenkaupetal, 1996 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR)

  • The battering of women during pregnancy causes more birth defects than all the diseases put together for which children are usually immunized.
    (March of Dimes, an American non-profit organization, as quoted in Time Magazine, Jan. 18, 1993)

  • Battered women run 2 times the risk of a miscarriage and 4 times the risk of having a baby that is below average weight.
    (World Bank News, July 2, 1993)

  • In the USA battering has been shown to be the cause of more Emergency Room visits than muggings, motor vehicle accidents and rapes combined.
    (Heise, 1993; Abrahams, 1996 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

  • 15% of pregnant women were assaulted during the first trimester by their partner and 18% were assaulted during the last two trimesters.
    (The 1985 National Family Violence Survey, Browne, 1993; Gelles, 1988, as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR.)

Femicide in South Africa

  • Women are more likely to be killed by their male partners than by all other categories of persons combined.
    (Abrahams, 1996; Browne, 1993; Vetten, 1995 as cited in The Prevalence and Related Factors of Domestic Violence Against Women in the Mamre Community. Epidemiology Project. Sept. 1996. Rein GE, Le Roux DM, Jaschinski J, Haines Pt, Barnes DR)

  • 54% of people in the Magistrate's courts who plead guilty to killing, plead guilty to killing their wives.
    (Newspaper article, no date provided: "Violence Against women one of the Major challenges facing a new S.A." citing the University of Cape Town's Institute of Criminology)

  • Every 6 days, the life of a South African Woman is snuffed out by her partner.
    (According to People Opposing Women Abuse ("POWA"), Johannesburg, as quoted in the Cape Argus, April 14, 1998).

  • More than half of the women murdered in South Africa die at the hands of their husbands or partners who profess to love them.
    (POWA as quoted in the Cape Argus, April 14, 1998).

  • 59% of Murder cases at the Wynberg Magistrate's Court involved men accused of killing their wives.
    (Ms. Lauren Nott, NICRO as quoted in the Cape Argus, Sept. 19, 1989)

  • 41% of female homicide is perpetrated by the women's partner.
    (450.7/1017(1)According to Binaifer Nowrojee and Bronwen Manby May 13-14, 1996 as mentioned by Jay Watson, The Institute for Multi-Party Democracy and the Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies hosted workshops in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu, Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape on Domestic Violence and the Transformation of the Legal System and the Police Force. The Information is based on proceedings from the Western Cape regional workshop.. Pg.17)

International Femicide Statistics

  • In Russia during 1993, 14,000 women were killed by their husbands, lovers and former partners.
    (The Russian Interior Ministry as quoted in the Sunday Independent 20/8/95)

  • In the UK, 48% of female murder victims are killed by their partners.
    (ELLE Magazine, November 1993)

  • Domestic Violence is the single largest cause of injury to women in the US and is one of the leading causes of death.
    (Farrah Fawcett as quoted in a newspaper article, September 1997)

Rape in South Africa

  • 1 in 3 women in S. Africa will be raped.
    (450.7/1017(1) Binaifer Nowrojee and Bronwen Manby, May 13-14, 1996 as cited by Jay Watson, The Institute for Multi-Party Democracy an the Joint Centre for Political and Economic Studies hosted workshops in Gauteng, Kwa-Zulu, Natal, Eastern Cape and Western Cape on Domestic Violence and the Transformation of the Legal System and the Police Force. The Information is based on proceedings from the Western Cape regional workshop. Pg.17)

  • 1 in 2 South African women will be raped in her lifetime.
    (Study by Lloyd Vogelman of the University of the Witwatersrand from the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation as cited in the Cape Times, Oct. 24, 1991)

  • The violent attack of rape happens every five minutes in South Africa.
    (Crisis News, the Rape Crisis Newsletter, August 1989, pg. 4)

  • 30% of females were forced to have sex the first time they had intercourse.
    (Study in Khayelitsha by the Medical Research Council, as cited in the Cape Argus, Jan. 7, 1998)

  • 1997 Reported rapes in the RSA = 52,160 ( a 2.58% increase over 1996)
    (SAPS)

  • 1996 Reported rapes in the RSA = 50,841 ( a 46.17% increase over 1995)
    (SAPS)

  • 1995 Reported rapes in the RSA= 34,783 ( an 8.33% increase over 1994)
    (SAPS)

  • 1994 Reported rapes in the RSA = 32,107 ( an 18.75% increase over 1993)
    (SAPS)

  • 1993 Reported rapes in the RSA = 27,037
    (SAPS)

  • Western Cape Rape Statistics:

    1997 Reported rapes = 6,658
    (SAPS)

    1996 Reported rapes = 6,288
    (SAPS)

    1995 Reported rapes = 5,465
    (SAPS)

  • Rape Crisis Cape Town Statistics:

    1996 1,845 calls received

    1995 1,376 calls received

    Age of survivor: under 18 28%

    18-25 yrs 45%

    26-35 yrs 19%

    over 35 8%

    Of rapes reported to Rape Crisis, 59% had already been reported to the Police

    Percentage of assailants known to survivor: 53%

  • According to one police estimate, only 1 in 35 rapes is reported. Based on this 1,217,405 rapes would have occurred in 1995, at a rate of 3,335 rapes per day or 139 per hour or 2.3 per minute.

  • 1:10 to 1:20 women who are raped report to the police.
    ([on Shelf] Rape Crisis and NICRO estimate as cited in Promoting Personal Safety For Women. Women set an agenda for policy formation. Moira Maconachie & Mikki van Zyl. Human Sciences Research Council © 1994; Pg. 57)

  • 7% of women who had been raped report to the police. ([on Shelf] Surveys by van Zyl (1989) & Cosmopolitan Mag (1992) as cited in Promoting Personal Safety For Women. Women set an agenda for policy formation. Moira Maconachie & Mikki van Zyl. Human Sciences Research Council © 1994;)

  • Official figures on rape were 77 per 100,000 population of men and women in 1992 for the RSA (TBVC states excluded).
    ([on Shelf] Glanz 1993b as cited in Promoting Personal Safety For Women. Women set an agenda for policy formation. Moira Maconachie & Mikki van Zyl. Human Sciences Research Council © 1994; Pg. 62)

  • In 1993 27,056 rapes reported only 8,998 were prosecuted and only 4, 753 resulted in convictions or 17. 5%.
    (450.7/1543 (1) Aug. 1997. Human Rights Watch)

  • Between 1993 and 1996 the number of rapes reported has doubled to 50, 481 but with 21,863 prosecuted only 4,100 convicted or 8.1%.
    (450.7/1543 (1) Aug. 1997. Human Rights Watch)

International Rape Statistics

  • At a conservative estimate, at least 1 in 4 Canadian women will be sexually assaulted at least once in her life.
    (460.9/1106 INT. J. Of Women's Studies 195 as cited in Incidence of Rape and Sexual Assault in an Urban Canadian Population by Brickman, J. and J. Briere, 1985 pg.7)

  • In 1994, there were 13,000 cases of Rape in Russia.
    (Russian Interior Ministry as cited in the Sunday Independent 20/8/95)

  • In Seoul, S. Korea 17% of women report being victims of attempted rape or actual rape.
    (World Bank News, July 2, 1993)

Child Abuse in South Africa

  • Proportions of dwellings reporting crime against children under 18 years of age: Rape 37.30%, Assault 9.3%, Murder 3%.
    (570.1/1240 The Nedcor Project Feb. 1996)

      1993 1994 1995 1996 1997
    Rape 253 400 621 748 939
    Sodomy 86 87 127 187 199
    Incest 8 15 16 14 10
    Indecent Assault 296 405 488 627 658
    Attempted Murder 1 2 3 0 5

    (Cases where crimes were committed against children under 16 years of age, and were investigated by the Child Protection Unit in the Western Cape)

  • The average age of girls who are sexually abused is 11 year of age.
    (Lloyd Vogelman, Director of the Project of Violence in the Psychology Department, University of Witwatersrand, and author of Sexual Abuse and Incest in S. A. , Raven Publisher as quoted in the Weekly Mail. Jan. 26 to Feb. 1, 1990,)

  • Is estimated that between 65% and 72% of parents with maintenance orders against them default at some point.
    (Ynze de Jong, an advocate and director of Maintenance Assistance Services ("MAS") as quoted in The Sunday Independent, May 10, 1998)

  • Over 13,000 child rape cases involving children under the age of 14 had been reported between 1988-1993.
    (South African Child Protection Unit cited in the Cape Times, May 6, 1993)

International Child Abuse

  • In the United States the recidivism rate of child sex abusers is around 80%.
    (Child Sex Abuse, The Secret Shame by Elaine Durbach as cited in Femina, 1989)

    Contributing Social and Economic Factors

    • 2/3 of African Women who are self-employed earn less then R500 per month.
      (450.311. Domestic Violence: Submission to the SALC in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1, May 1997)

    • In rural areas, 4 out of 5 South African woman have no employment at all.
      (450.311. Domestic Violence: Submission to the SALC in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1, Pg. 3, May 1997)

    • Of woman who work for their own account, nearly 66% earn less than R500/month compared to only 16% of men in this category.
      (450.311. Debbie Budlender, The Woman's Budget, Idasa 1996 as cited in Domestic Violence: Submission to the SALC in the Light of International and Constitutional Human Rights Jurisprudence Part 1; pg.3, May 1997)

    • In Russia, women make up 70% of the unemployed and if employed, earn only on average 40% of what men make.
      (Russian Interior Ministry, in Sunday Independent 20/8/95)

    • In Papua New Guinea, only 30% of women have paid jobs.
      (Cape Argus, March 28, 1994)

    • Of the women who sought help from the police, only 4% said they would ask them for help again.
      (450.7/1016 Study by van Zyl in 1988, as cited in Battered Women. An Invisible Issue by K. Ross, pg. 12)

    • 57% of women who reported sexual violence never laid a charge because the police refused to let them.
      (450.7/1559. Improved Justice for Survivors of Sexual Violence: Adult Survivors' Experiences of the Wynberg Sexual Offences Court and Associated Services by Sharon Stanton, Margot Lochrenberg, Veronica Mukasa, Rape Crisis Cape Town: African Gender Institute: University of Cape Town: Human Rights Commission,'89-91)

    • 36% of assault charges laid by women get "lost" and there is no further action.
      (NICRO as cited in a newspaper article, no date available)

    • Women in Southern Africa equal half of the electorate yet they hold only 10% of the seats in Parliament and 6% in national cabinets.
      (801. File 3 1346 (1). The Beijing Platform of Action, sometime after the 1995 4th World Conference on Women held in Beijing, China)

    • More than 60% of abusive men grow up in abusive families.
      (Glen de Swart, from Wits Mental Hospital as quoted in the Weekly Mail, Jan. 1994)
     

     
     

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