Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa

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dc.contributor.authorSmythe, Dee
dc.contributor.editorSmythe, Dee
dc.date.accessioned2019-12-02T13:27:27Z
dc.date.available2019-12-02T13:27:27Z
dc.date.issued2015-01-01
dc.description.abstractMore than 1 000 women are raped in South Africa every day. Around 150 of those women will report the crime to the police. Fewer than 30 of the cases will be prosecutedand no more than 10 will result in a conviction. This translates into an overall convictionrate of 4 – 8 per cent of reported cases. What happens to all the other cases? Rape Unresolved is concerned with the question of police discretion and how its exercise shapes the criminal justice response to rape in South Africa. Through a detailed, qualitative review of rape dockets and victim statements, as well as interviews with detectives, prosecutors, magistrates and rape counsellors, the author provides key insights into police responses to rape. A complex picture emerges, of myths and stereotypes, of skills deficits, of disengagement by police as well as victims. Responsibility for the investigation of the cases – and their ultimate failure – is shifted onto the complainants, who must constantly prove their commitment to the criminal justice process in order to be taken seriously. The vast majority of rape victims who approach the criminal justice system in South Africa do not receive justice or protection. This book uncovers the fault line between the state’s rhetorical commitment to addressing sexual violence through legal guarantees and the actual application of these laws.en_US
dc.identifier.apacitationSmythe, D. (2015). <i>Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa</i>. Cape Town: UCT Press. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30657en_ZA
dc.identifier.chicagocitationSmythe, Dee. <i>Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa</i>. Cape Town: UCT Press. 2015. http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30657.en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationSmythe, D. 2015-01-01. Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa. Cape Town:en_ZA
dc.identifier.isbn9781919895895
dc.identifier.ris TY - Book AU - Smythe, Dee AB - More than 1 000 women are raped in South Africa every day. Around 150 of those women will report the crime to the police. Fewer than 30 of the cases will be prosecutedand no more than 10 will result in a conviction. This translates into an overall convictionrate of 4 – 8 per cent of reported cases. What happens to all the other cases? Rape Unresolved is concerned with the question of police discretion and how its exercise shapes the criminal justice response to rape in South Africa. Through a detailed, qualitative review of rape dockets and victim statements, as well as interviews with detectives, prosecutors, magistrates and rape counsellors, the author provides key insights into police responses to rape. A complex picture emerges, of myths and stereotypes, of skills deficits, of disengagement by police as well as victims. Responsibility for the investigation of the cases – and their ultimate failure – is shifted onto the complainants, who must constantly prove their commitment to the criminal justice process in order to be taken seriously. The vast majority of rape victims who approach the criminal justice system in South Africa do not receive justice or protection. This book uncovers the fault line between the state’s rhetorical commitment to addressing sexual violence through legal guarantees and the actual application of these laws. CY - Cape Town DA - 2015-01-01 DB - OpenUCT DP - University of Cape Town ED - Smythe, Dee KW - sexual offences KW - LAW/JURISPRUDENCE KW - rape KW - criminal justice LK - https://open.uct.ac.za PP - Cape Town PY - 2015 SM - 9781919895895 T1 - Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa TI - Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa UR - http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30657 ER - en_ZA
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/11427/30657
dc.identifier.vancouvercitationSmythe D. Rape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africa. Cape Town: UCT Press; 2015.http://hdl.handle.net/11427/30657en_ZA
dc.language.isoenen_US
dc.publisherUCT Pressen_US
dc.publisher.departmentCentre for Law and Societyen_US
dc.publisher.facultyFaculty of Lawen_US
dc.publisher.locationCape Townen_US
dc.subjectsexual offencesen_US
dc.subjectLAW/JURISPRUDENCEen_US
dc.subjectrapeen_US
dc.subjectcriminal justiceen_US
dc.titleRape Unresolved: Policing Sexual Offences in South Africaen_US
dc.typeBooken_US
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