The incidence of sexual offences continues to decrease in South Africa, with 51 895 cases recorded in 2015/16, according to the official Crime Statistics released on Friday.
Addressing the Police Portfolio Committee in Parliament on Friday, Crime Research and Statistics Head, Major-General Norman Sekhukhune, said sexual offences were down by 3.2% in 2015/16, from 53 617 in 2014/15.
Between 2013/14 and 2014/15, sexual offences decreased from 56 680 to 53 617.
“The two major sub-categories of sexual offences are rape, accounting for 80% of the total sexual offences recorded and sexual assault accounting for 12% in 2015/16,” said Sekhukhune.
Sexual offences detected as a result of police action decreased from 64 071 to 51 895 over a 10-year period.
In Gauteng, which recorded the highest number of sexual offence cases, the rate has decreased from 9 902 in 2014/15 to 9 510 in 2015/16.
KwaZulu-Natal also saw a 1.5% decrease from 9 079 in 2014/15 to 8 947 in 2015/16, while the Eastern Cape improved from 9 224 in 2014/15 to 8 797 in 2015/16.
Police found that sexual offences mainly occurred indoors, which made it difficult to combat by means of conventional policing methods.
In the Northern Cape, 64.7% of analysed rape cases occurred within residences and 33% in public places such as streets and open veld.
Although there was an increase in sexual offences recorded in the Northern Cape during the previous financial year, the province continues to have the lowest number of cases recorded from 1 578 in 2014/15 to 1 719 in 2015/16.
Alcohol and sexual offences
The influence of alcohol consumption is also a factor in incidents of sexual offences.
Analysis conducted in KwaZulu-Natal found that in 25% of rape cases, the use of alcohol by the offender was mentioned. Victims were also often targeted along roads after departing from taverns or bars to their residences.
Such victims were generally overpowered and taken to the residences of the offenders, unoccupied residences or bushy areas and raped. Victims of street robbery are also frequently raped by their assailants.
Offenders-victims relationships
Although most of the offenders involved in sexual offences were known to their victims, the ratios differed from province to province due to the unique social dynamics.
In the Northern Cape, 86.4% of offenders were known to their victims, while in Gauteng, the figure stood at 58.6%.
In the cases in which the perpetrators had been known to their victims, the perpetrators ranged from acquaintances, boyfriends (exes and current), employees, family members, neighbours, people known by sight, parents or guardians and school personnel to spouses (exes and current). – SAnews.gov.za
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