* A study headed by the Medical Research Council reported in 2004 that only 37.3% of persons arrested for femicide were convicted and that in SA a woman was killed by her intimate partner every six hours.

* A R1,1m award was levied against media group Naspers in March, 2004, after they failed to take action against a junior management employee who repeatedly sexually harassed a secretary, who had repeatedly complained to her superiors. The Cape High court made it clear that when a woman complains of sexual harassment, employers are obliged to act. * Amnesty International citing the Institute of Security Studies in SA indicated that 147 women were raped each day in South Africa. Police reported in 2003 that more than 40% of rape survivors were under the age of 18, with 14% under the age of 12.

* South African police statistics indicate that since March 1995 there has been an increase in the number of reported rapes (with decreases noted only in March 1999 and March 2003) and reports of indecent assault (which includes sodomy and male rape, as well as the use of objects in rape). The reported cases of child abuse increased dramatically between March 2002 and March 2003 from 2 648 cases to 4 798 cases per 100 000 of the population.

* The virgin rape myth is common across Africa and has led to rapidly growing statistics of the rape of children including babies.

* Professor Ames Dhai of the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine points out that there are twice as many rape survivors at risk of seroconversion to HIV as babies born to HIV+ mothers in SA.

* Sub-Sahara Africa has just over 10% of the world’s population but is home to two-thirds of people living with HIV; three times more women are infected than men.

* A study headed by the Medical Research Council reported in 2004 that only 37.3% of persons arrested for femicide were convicted and that in SA a woman was killed by her intimate partner every six hours.

* Deputy Minister of Health Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge noted in October, 2005 that "there has been an increase in the number of sexual crimes over the past year with rape up by 4% and indecent assault increasing by 8%."

* In female murders where relationship status could be established, 50.3% of women killed in 1999 were killed by intimate partners, Deputy Minister of Health Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.

* According to the police crime report of 2004/2005, women and children accounted for 59% of the victims of contact crimes (murder, attempted murder, rape, indecent assault, assault with the intent to do grievous bodily harm and common assault) - Deputy Minister of Health, Nozizwe Madlala-Routledge.

* One in four women have been beaten or otherwise coerced into unwanted sexual interaction, Rosieda Shabodien-Rasool, community activist and wife of Western Cape Premier Ebrahim Rasool, October, 2005.

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