A government sponsored survey there this year shows: 25% of women there say they have been raped, and 51% say they have experienced violence from men. 37% of men say they have committed rape, and 78% say they have committed violence against women. 7% of men, about one in every 14, say they have participated in gang rape.

Only 1 in 25 raped women reports the crime to the police.

A third of the admitted rapists were found not to feel guilty about it.

What does this tell us? In the Johannesburg area, sexual and other violent assault against women is generally accepted as the norm by a high percentage of the population. I don't think Nelson Mandela would approve.

What can be done? Police, psychologists, social workers, and other interested people should hold open public forums, perhaps on radio and television as well, to expose the facts, to encourage women to report to police all violent crimes against them, and to encourage men to behave better. If men knew they were likely to spend time in prison for the violence, that would likely produce different behavior by most men. It would be helpful to have local men who do not commit the violence also speak out against it.

The level of rape and violence against women in South Africa can fairly be called a kind of war on women. Other areas could be just as bad, or even worse, but this is certainly one that needs work.