South Africa: Rape - the South African Scourge

South Africa has a reputation for the world's worst sexual violence rates against women, men and children. Amid confusing data and complex causes, what is it that makes South Africa unique?

Pinning down the statistics is hard. They often come in an inconsistent and context-free form: one person is raped every 17 seconds, or 26 seconds, or 36 seconds, or 65 seconds, depending on whom you believe. Such formulations are good for sloganeering, but say little about the reasons behind this cruel crime and even less about how to solve the problem.

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