Did you know 90% of murders in DV cases happen when victim try to leave her abuser!!!
1.1 What are domestic violence, sexual abuse and gender-based violence?
The Oxford Dictionary defines domestic violence as violent or aggressive behaviour within the home, typically involving the violent abuse of a spouse or partner. Because domestic violence takes place within a home or family, it destroys the security and safety we hope to find there, often leaving victims without a safe place. Men, women and children can be the victims of domestic violence. Unfortunately, domestic violence is often brushed off as a family matter, and is not seen as a criminal act or investigated properly until the victim is reported missing or is murdered.
Sexual assault is defined as any type of sexual activity or contact to which you do not consent. Sexual assault can take place through physical force or threats of force, or if the attacker gives the victim drugs or alcohol as part of the assault. Sexual assault includes rape and sexual coercion, and any and all acts to force, manipulate or coerce you to participate in any sexual act that you do not consent to, or that you participate in unwillingly out of fear or ignorance. Children who experience continued sexually abuse suffer from various health, mental and physical problems as a result.
The United Nations Declaration on the Elimination of Violence against Women describes gender-based violence (GBV) as “any act of gender-based violence that results in, or is likely to result in, physical, sexual or psychological harm or suffering to women, including threats of such acts, coercion or arbitrary deprivations of liberty, whether occurring in public or private life”.[1] Most GBV is inflicted on women and girls by men. These victims can suffer sexual and reproductive health consequences, including unsafe abortions, traumatic fistula, forced and unwanted pregnancies, sexually transmitted infections, and even death. We see that acts of domestic violence, sexual abuse and GBV are not only violations of human rights, but also criminal acts that should be stopped. These three terms are not to be taken lightly, as the lives of the victims and survivors of these monstrous crimes are in serious danger. The legal definition of domestic violence is contained in the Domestic Violence Act No. 116 of 1998[2] . It is important to report these crimes, so that the perpetrators can be prosecuted.[3]
[1] (https://www.gov.za/sites/default/files/images/GBV%20_booklet.pdf; https://www.justice.gov.za/vg/gbv/NSP-GBVF-FINAL-DOC-04-05.pdf; https://gbv.org.za/about-us/).
[2] https://www.justice.gov.za/vg/dv.html) and that of sexual offences in the amended Sexual Offences Act (previously Immorality Act) 23 of 1957 / https://www.gov.za/documents/sexual-offences-act-previous-short-title-immorality-act-12-apr-1957-0000
[3] https://www.tears.co.za/; https://www.gov.za/faq/justice-and-crime-prevention/what-are-sexual-offence-crimes).
