Chairperson, it is with great disappointment that we note that our communities, particularly women and children, are still exposed to unsafe environments because very often they are sexually harassed, raped and strangled to death. Not a day goes by without reports of rape or assault being committed by senseless criminals. Members of our communities fear for their lives while walking to school or to work in the face of violent crimes such as rape and sexual harassment, which also contribute to the spread of HIV and Aids.
We note with great sadness that the recent crime statistics released show that the rate of reported sexual offences increased by 10%. As the 2009 "Sixteen days of activism for no violence against women and children" campaign comes to a close, we would like to remind South Africans that universal human rights cannot be realised unless women and children have the right to live free of violence.
As a nation, we need to ensure that gender concerns, including violence against women, are featured prominently in our activities. Our correctional services also need to act against the perpetrators of these offences in our prisons. It is high time that the perpetrators of these horrible acts are dealt with very harshly by our criminal justice system. I thank you.