Rape surveillance through district surgeon offices in Johannesburg, 1996-1998: findings, evaluation and prevention implications

Rape prevention efforts are hampered by a chronic lack of adequate epidemio logical and surveillance data. Information on identifying factors such as t he who, when, where and how of rape is needed to inform the design of effec tive intervention programmes. Results from a demonstration Rape Surveillanc e Project show that records of rape cases presenting at three medico-legal clinics provide a valuable source for the epidemiological surveillance of r ape. From January 1996 to December 1998 a surveillance questionnaire was co mpleted for rape victims presenting at the Hillbrow, Lenasia South, and Chr is Hani Baragwanath Medico-Legal Clinics in Gauteng. Analysis of the data s uggests which women are most at risk for being raped, by whom they are rape d. the areas where attacks most often occur, and the day and time when rape s are mostly committed. Despite the limited database and difficulties with generalizing findings beyond the three clinics. it is apparent that surveil lance procedures have enormous import for sexual violence prevention and in tervention. Implications for prevention strategies, aftercare, policy formu lation. and future research are discussed. Methodological issues and instit utional constraints are also discussed with a view to strengthening and dev eloping such information management systems.