Campus rapes: real story not being told

AP Photo/Mark Duncan

AP Photo/Mark Duncan

Published Mar 27, 2015

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Durban - South African universities say reported incidents of rape do not reflect the full picture of what is in reality taking place within their campuses – and they are working to change that.

The issue of safety and security in universities has come under scrutiny after an alleged gang rape occurred at the University of Zululand last Friday.

The director of the Gender Equity Office at the University of Witwatersrand, Professor Jackie Dugard, said the university was committed to protecting its staff and students from any form of abuse on campus. However, they realised that reported incidents did not represent a full picture of what was happening.

“As any institution, or society more generally, we understand that reported incidents do not represent the full picture, and we are working to encourage reporting of incidents as well as to act against perpetrators of gender-based harm,” she said.

“In recent years, the university has revamped relevant policies and has overhauled awareness campaigns, reporting structures and legal processes to deal with any form of abuse, particularly sexual harassment of any form, expeditiously.”

As part of their broader reflective process, Dugard said, in February 2014, Wits established a dedicated Gender Equity Office (GEO) which specifically deals with gender discrimination and sexual harassment and violence in a “holistic” way.

This was in partnership with other structures, such as the Careers and Counselling Development Unit, Campus Health and Wellness, Campus Control and Residence Life, she said.

“Our campus is generally safer than the surrounding areas and our campus control officers are appropriately trained and prepared to manage and redirect any incidents as they occur, or when reported. They are available 24/7 and offer services such as walking students to their residences if they feel unsafe,” she said.

Last year, the GEO dealt with one case of rape of a student by another where a conviction was secured, she said.

Spokesman for the Mangosuthu University of Technology, Len Mzimela, said the last rape incident experienced by the university was three years ago.

“We have not had a rape case in the last three years, and the charge related to the last one that was also reported to the police, was eventually withdrawn,” he said.

There are disciplinary procedures that are in place for such cases, he said.

“The institution runs an orientation programme for students. Furthermore, students are made aware of institutional rules and regulations. There are also programmes that aim at empowering female students, such as the Sisterhood Programme.”

Mzimela said there were also talk shows about gender issues in the institution’s residences, as well as a no-alcohol within university premises policy.

One student who attends UniZul and stays at the East Block residence, where the alleged rape is said to have taken place, said regardless of security guards being around the residence, she didn’t feel safe – mainly because there was an ongoing friendship between management and Student Representative Council members, which causes these students to “do as they please”.

“If you are friends with SRC members, security will not touch you because they know they (SRC members) are close with the managerial staff, no matter what you do,” said the student, who refused to be named for fear of victimisation.

She said other students always brought alcohol into their dormitories and got away with it simply because they were members of or friends with members of the SRC.

“This has caused a situation where other students believe that they own the varsity, and can get away with anything they do. Security is not the issue, the issue is management and the SRC,” she said.

UniZul is one of four universities in the country that have been prioritised by the government for security upgrades and has been allocated R2 billion over five years for that purpose.

The three suspects linked to the institution’s gang rape case were arrested on Monday and appeared in the Mthunzini Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday.

They are due for a bail application hearing on March 31.

Daily News

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