Women’s security in political, economic and social terms is directly linked to the pervasive problem of violence against women. Violence Against Women: Law, Policy and Practice seeks to understand this particular form of human rights violation, by situating violence against women in its historical, political, socio-economic and legal context in South Africa. Whether in the private or public spheres, violence against women prevents women from realising a broad range of human rights that are central to full, inclusive and participatory citizenship. The authors of this volume reflect on the many forms of violence against women, the applicable laws and policies, and the challenges to effectively responding to this widespread violation of human rights.

Their contributions consider the role of law, policy and practice in relation to a broad range of themes including sexual violence, violence against women at the margins of systems and societies, and the impact on those who are working to defeat violence against women, whether as activists, practitioners or scholars.

Authors

Nolundi Luwaya is the Director of the Land and Accountability Research Centre (LARC) at the University of Cape Town.

Rashida Manjoo is a professor in the Department of Public Law at theUniversity of Cape Town where she co-convenes the Human Rights Programme.

Jameelah Omar is a senior lecturer in Criminal Justice in the Department of Public Law at the University of Cape Town.

• Preface (Nolundi Luwaya, Rashida Manjoo and Jameelah Omar)
• Special acknowledgement (Jameelah Omar and Nolundi Luwaya)
• Working against violence against women: How far have we come? (Nolundi Luwaya and Jameelah Omar)
• Villains and (s)heroes in the quest for truth and justice in sexual harassment cases (Nicolette Naylor)
• A contradiction in terms? The promotion of adolescent sexual rights and the prevention of sexual violence (Salona Lutchman)
• Evolution of provisions relating to violence against women in South Africa’s Traditional Courts Bill (Monica de Souza Louw)
• Gender construction in sexual offences cases: A case for fully reviving the Sexual Offences Courts (Karin Chinnian and AaminaPetersen)
•  A crisis of violence against women: Has South Africa fulfilled its obligations in terms of the Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women? (Samantha Barkley)
• Does Africa need a regional treaty on and violence against women? (Rashida Manjoo) 
• A comparative analysis of normative standards in three regional human rights systems (Ruth Nekura)
• The Refugee women as victims of intimate partner violence: and Forever vulnerable? (Fatima Khan, Cecile Sackeyfio and Liliya Paraketsova)
• The bloody rainbow: The creation of the second closet – Lesbian Blackwomxn, intimate partner violence and third parties’ responses (Lethabo Mailula and Letlhogonolo Mokgoroane)
• Violence against women in South Africa: Perspectives from a mental health context (Zareena Parker)

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