Women Against Rape

Mission statement
Women Against Rape (WAR) is a pioneering women’s organisation assisting women and children survivors of sexual abuse and rape; promoting institutional change to protect women and children against sexual abuse and raising awareness within the whole society on these issues.

Background
WAR began in Maun, Ngamiland District, Botswana, in 1993 after two very serious rape cases were reported to the local newspaper. A strong concern was felt for the survivors, and two groups were formed – later joining together with the following objectives:

· To provide support, assistance and counselling to survivors of sexual violence;
· To assist victims of sexual abuse in going to the hospital and the police;
· To provide legal support;
· To campaign for greater awareness and education on the issue of sexual violence with the purpose of reducing this crime;
· To campaign for changes in the law that would enable survivors to report the crime and obtain legal justice for their assailant;
· To consolidate WAR in Ngamiland District; and
· To network with other organisations in the country e.g. Metlhaetsile, Women in Law in Southern Africa, Emang Basadi and Ditshwanelo.

Women Against Rape operates from a basis that women's rights are human rights. Sexual abuse is a fundamental violation of human rights. Sexual abuse is becoming increasingly common across all sectors of the Batswana community. Throughout Botswana it is not culturally acceptable for women to speak out against sexual crime. Such behaviour is often maintained and fuelled within populations by fear, shame and lack of family protection. Sexual abuse in itself is both psychologically and physically damaging to the victims. In the face of the HIV / AIDS epidemic in Botswana the incidence of rape has an even greater fear. The risk of contracting HIV / AIDS is greatly increased during rape due to the lack of lubrication, greater friction and the increased possibility of bleeding.

Violence against women and children in Botswana is reaching endemic proportions. Violence against women and children occurs on a regular basis and afflicts a large number of people in the villages and schools covered by WAR.

A vital section of WAR's work consists of educating the school system and the community of their rights and where assistance / support can be found with regards to sexual abuse and other forms of gender violence. WAR works on the basis that violence against women and children can be prevented by changing attitudes, values and behaviour both male and female. For WAR to implement an effective programme WAR needs to work at the grassroots level as well as at the institutional level.

Research
WAR conducted research 'The Needs of Abused Women and Children in Botswana's North West', funded by Comic Relief UK and publish in January 2000. This research clearly illustrates the need for WAR to capacity build its programmes. Here are some of the findings:
North West District, Botswana
The Community Situation

· 86% of respondents rate violence against women as a community problem and 88% say it is on the increase;
· Severe beating is seen as the most common form of abuse (61%) followed by rape (47%);
· 32% of respondents know a woman who has fled home because of violence;
· Almost half (48%) of all cases of violence at the Maun magistrates court are violence against women, at the customary court it is 57%;
· The district hospital out-patients ward deals with about four cases of violence against women a week; and
· Existing support structures are either unable or unwilling to cope with the increase in violence against women: this includes traditional support structures such as the extended family or modern support structures such as social services.

The School Situation - Sexual harassment in schools

· 67% of students say that they have been subjected by teachers to either of the following behaviours at least once: unsolicited touching; patting and pinching; dirty jokes; sexual innuendoes; pressure for dates and whistling.
· 25% of students say they have been subjected to one of the above on a regular basis.
· 20% of students say that they have been asked to have sexual relations by their teachers.
· Nearly half of this 20% accepted - 42%. 47% ignored the teachers and tried to stay away from them.
· 62% of those accepting say that they accepted for fear of what the teacher could do to them and 20% because of fear of lower grades.
· The Code of Conduct for teachers is silent on the matter of sexual harassment.
· 71% of students and over half the teachers are aware of sexual relations taking place in their school.
· Headmasters interviewed were generally dissatisfied with the way the Teacher Service Management (TSM) handle cases of sexual relations between students and teachers.
· 68% of cases of sexual harassment happen at Junior Secondary Schools, 18% at Senior Secondary Schools and 14% at Primary Schools.
· 75% of teachers responding believe that sexual harassment is unreported because students are afraid , do not know where to report , or do not trust school authorities.
· 83% of teachers consider student/teacher relationships to be a 'big problem'.
· There are no procedures for the lodging of complaints in schools.
North West District, Botswana has the highest rate of sexual crime cases within Botswana. In the face of this it is an appropriate district for WAR to focus its activities.

Contact Info: war@info.bw