A STATE OF SEXUAL TYRANNY THE PREVALENCE , NATURE AND CAUSES OF SEXUAL VIOLENCE IN SOUTH AFRICA Component 3 of a study conducted by the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) for the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) cluster November 2008 For further information, please contact: Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation PO Box 30778, Braamfontein, 2017. Tel: (011) 403–5650, Fax: (011) 339–67850 E-mail:
[email protected] or
[email protected] Website: http://www.csvr.org.za Secretariat for Safety and Security Private Bag X922, Pretoria, 0001. Tel: (012) 393-2500/2583, Fax: (012) 393-2536/57 E-mail:
[email protected] NOTE ON THIS REPORT South Africa is currently experiencing very high levels of violent crime. In 2006 the Justice, Crime Prevention and Security (JCPS) Cabinet committee decided to contract the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) to carry out research aimed at enhancing understanding of the nature of violence in South Africa with a view to strengthening government’s response to this problem. As a result, in February 2007 CSVR was contracted by the Department of Safety and Security to carry out a project with the following six components: • A concept paper on the violent nature of crime. • A study of the circumstances of occurrence of murder in areas with a high rate of murder in South Africa. • A study of the nature and causes of sexual violence. • An analysis of the socioeconomic factors that contribute to violence. • Case studies on perpetrators of violent crime.