I'm sure you'd be more interest in this blog post if I posted about a cake. I did recently on facebook and received a lot of attention with likes and comments. I posted a photo of a rape care kit and I guess people just scrolled right past, pretending not to see it as they didn't know what to say.
Anyway I digress.
I'm visiting South Africa our former home and supporting friends who work with various charities and projects throughout the year. I'm no longer affiliated with any of the charities here, but I help out with things online and some fundraising throughout the year and when I visit, I tidy, clean, pack and physically get involved hands on.
Over the weekend my friend Lee-Ann, took me with her to a community in Pretoria North to hand out rape care kits on behalf of Kameeldrift Trauma Support, who she is involved with throughout the year.
These kits aren't handed out to women who have been raped, they are handed out to women for when they or a family member or friend is raped.
1:3 women have been or will be raped in South Africa, with 150 cases reported daily. Many do not report because a) it is a way of life for some and b) too many women are afraid of reprisals for reporting their rapist.
In the UK statistics for the same period were 1:200.
Of course these figures can't be relied on and they do not include the rape of men or children, nor do they include other forms of sexual abuse.
But the reality is in South Africa it is going to happen, just when is the only unknown.
So how can a rape care kit help women in crisis.
Each kit contains a brown paper bag to place underwear in, a plastic bag can contaminate the DNA. The advice is to put it in a freezer asap for the best forensic results.
There is also a note pad and pen to write down what happened in detail.
Everything else in the pack is for personal hygiene and comfort.
In the recent kits being distributed there have been donations from Isabella Garcia with facial wash and body creams and from Reitzer Pharmaceuticals glycerine soaps.
All other items have been donated by individuals by adding a few extra items to their shopping trolley each week and through cash donations.
This is not a sponsored post, I'm advertising the services of Kameeldrift Trauma Support as I believe and support fully the work they are doing. The two companies tagged will hopefully share this post on their social media and I'm hoping it will lead to further donations from them and other companies to support this worthy project.
well done on highlighting not only the crime statistics but also the charity doing all it can to help.
ReplyDeleteSadly in countries like this the men are led to believe it is their right and that woman have no say in the matter it is very difficult to change the thinking.
Sounds like a woman may end up being raped more than once in her life time over there.
Thank you Elaine and sadly your last comment is probably very true
DeleteThanks for sharing such important information X #pocolo
ReplyDeleteyou're welcome
DeleteMy word, how sad that we live in a world where such kits are necessary. Very valuable work but, sadly, I can imagine more people might stop and read a post about cake.
ReplyDeleteoh cake is far more popular than the reality of life sometimes
DeleteHow awful! I had no idea of the extent of rape cases in South Africa. Thank you for sharing this important information. The crisis center is doing a wonderful service for women!
ReplyDeletethey are indeed, it's so sad that charities like this have to exist
Delete1 in 3 is such a scary statistic! It is a shame that is classed as a way of life or the woman are too afraid to report it.
ReplyDeleteThese sound like fantastic kits and I hope they are able to help. x
sadly Kim, it is accepted by many that rape is just part of life and it's going to happen regardless
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