#CrimeStats | Rape down 18.8% during levels 3, 2 and 1 of lockdown

SA recorded a significant drop in various categories of violent crime during the course of the coronavirus lockdown, including gender-based violence (GBV).

Revealing the crime statistics for the second quarter of 2020/2021 in Pretoria on Friday, police minister Bheki Cele said there had been a 16.8% decrease in cases of GBV and rapes were down by 18.8%. 

The statistics cover the period July 1 to September 30. 

Cele said 8,922 cases of rape were recorded during the three months in which the country moved from level 3 to level 2 and then level 1 of the national lockdown.

He said KwaZulu-Natal, where Inanda was known for the highest number of rapes in the country, had recorded the most rape cases. 

"A sample of 5,168 rape dockets [across the country] revealed that 3,578 people were raped in their homes or at the homes of their perpetrators. The majority of those who were raped were women."

He said more than 1,000 people were raped in public places such as parks, beaches, parking areas or open fields during the time under review.

Cele conceded that July, August and September were still dangerous months for thousands of women across the country. 

TimesLIVE