The purpose of this paper is three-fold: to describe the problem of domestic abuse in police families within the context of domestic abuse in South Africa; to highlight particular aspects of domestic abuse by police members by giving voice to…
In this report, Polly Dewhirst extracts women's common experiences of violence and trauma in El Salvador, Kenya and Rwanda. Initiatives in these countries to bring together survivors to rebuild their lives are part of the emerging international movement against gender…
Considered crucial to the control and prevention of crime, victim surveys have proliferated over the last couple of years. But do these studies adequately take gender into account in terms of their methodology, analysis and writing up? This short article…
South Africans' response to sexual violence is far from consistent. The rape survivor may be labelled either as a 'good' or 'bad' victim with serious implications for how women are treated by the police, courts and medical profession. This article aims to understand the factors creating and contributing to our rape-prone society.
As an introduction to the research topic, the paper provides an overview of the previous psychological literature in the area of child trauma, and specifically extrafamilial child sexual abuse. The psychological sequelae of childhood trauma, particularly in the latency period, and the significance of maternal reactions for the victim's psychological adjustment will be explored. The effects of prejudicial societal attitudes and rape myths on victims of this trauma comprise an important aspect of this discussion.
This paper explores how urban design and maintenance may impact upon rape. The article also highlights how a geography of sexual violence can be mapped. It concludes that different urban environmental design and better use of resources for urban development and security can drastically reduce the threat of rape.