BACKGROUND OF THE ORGANISATION
GRIP was established in the year 2000, in response to the high levels of rape, and the concordant high levels of HIV/AIDS infection, transferred to predominantly child rape survivors. GRIP was initiated by volunteers, and offers services to all rape and abuse survivors. GRIP seeks to empower all women, men and children through the process of counselling, education, advocacy and lobbying. GRIP is a NPO/CBO registered with the Department of Welfare (NPO no. 007-881).

Although abuse of women, men and children happens across all sectors of society, our target is mostly communities with limited or no resources at all. 96% of our survivors are disadvantaged persons form underserved communities. These areas have poor infrastructure, unsafe public transport areas and minimal police protection. This encourages the increase in violent crimes. These communities are also characterised by limited employment opportunities, overcrowding, and lack of educational facilities and extensive HIV and Aids related issues and alcoholism. All these factors impact strongly on violence.

The population of SA has increased from 40.5 million (1996) to 48.5 million in 2007. One person is raped every 23 seconds in South Africa (stats 2008). Although underreported sexual assault is known to be a problem that affects the lives of millions of women and men worldwide, regardless of age, race, appearances, marital status, sexual orientation, abilities or health status. The sexual assault of children, adolescents and adults is a common, widespread problem that has serious physical, psychological, emotional and social consequences. Anti-women attitudes and rape myths have fuelled its prevalence and shaped the ways in which survivors have been treated by health, legal and police services. Migration of people from neighbouring countries into SA as well as internal migration between provinces has a negative effect on socio-economic conditions, resulting in more poverty, alcohol abuse and sexual assault. Despite some improvement in living conditions (for example housing, water and sanitation) poor living conditions prevail and there is a need for work to done by Governments to ensure parity across the Mpumalanga Province.

The National economy is said to be growing at an average of 4% per annum but a slowdown in economic growth is expected which will impact on living standards and rising cost of food, fuel, water and electricity together with interest rate increases are placing burdens on people in our Province and more people will become vulnerable to crime as a means of survival. A decline in per capita income is evident and the gap between the rich and the poor is widening. South Africa and particularly Mpumalanga is experiencing a loss of skills due to emigration causing our Criminal Justice System to be without the adequate case flow management or skills to deal with specialise victim empowerment. Social problems are prevalent as a result of economic strain, moral decay, increased crime and family violence. Our province is also experiencing political changes and uncertainty that could lead in political instability and continued aspersions of a politicised judiciary will weaken confidence in the rule of law

Life expectancy has reduced resulting in a population of more young and old people who are vulnerable groups of a population. The increased amount of orphaned children and child headed households can be seen as a result of HIV/Aids.

Crime is however decreasing in SA and underreporting is also decreasing. Between 2001-2006 a total of 2.1 million cases of serious violent crime were reported at SA SAPS. Stakeholders in the criminal justice system are perceived to be inefficient, there is a lack of interdepartmental communications in the justice cluster and there is unequal resourcing resulting in an inadequate practitioner per court ratio and a lack of interpreting facilities. There is a high rate of case withdrawal due to prosecuting when there are reasonable prospects and this is also as a result of the lack of proper screening of dockets. Lack of faith in the Criminal Justice System is evident as criminals are perceived to go unpunished.

GRIP's intention is to provide suitable facilities, volunteers, counsellors, protocols, staff and resources for collecting and processing viable medico-legal evidence, to aid in the conviction of rapists. GRIP ensures collaborative networks and effective communications across the health care, law enforcement and police sectors within the Criminal Justice system.

An added dynamic to this is the contraction of HIV/AIDS as a direct result of rape. GRIP believes that the increase in child and gang rapes is due to continues misconceptions and myths regarding cures for HIV. Survivors of abuse tend to be economically disadvantaged, thus exposing them to be vulnerable for exploitation, children who are vulnerable are easy targets for abuse. AREAS OF OPERATION:


GRIP is currently operating within the Ehlanzeni and Mkhondo Districts of Mpumalanga and 90% of our survivors are from rural areas although abuse of women, men and children happens across all sectors of society, our survivors are primarily those who come from communities with limited or no resources at all. These areas have poor infrastructure such as no street lighting, unsafe public transport areas and minimal police protection. This in turn encourages the increase of violent crimes. These communities are also characterised by limited employment opportunities, overcrowding and lack of educational facilities, extensive HIV/AIDS related issues and alcoholism. All factors impact strongly on violence. These areas include Nelspruit, White River, Hazyview, Shongwe, Tonga, Schoemansdal, Barberton, Machadodorp, Kanyamazane, Kabokweni, Lows- Creek, Malelane, Masoyi, Matsulu, Piet Retief, Driefontein, Buchbuckridge and Hluvukane whereby we are having 26 operational sites that is functioning 24 hours, 7 days a week. Our target is any person who reports a case of rape, sexual assault or domestic violence within our specific care rooms.

GRIP VISSION
A country free of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence.

GRIP MISSION
To provide humanitarian assistance, rehabilitation and empowerment to all survivors of rape, sexual assault and domestic violence as well as services to those affected or infected by HIV/Aids as a result of sexual assault.

PROBLEM ANALYSIS
South Africa faces a globally unprecedented burden of mortality and morbidity from violence and injuries. Gender Based Violence is the second leading cause of death in the country (after HIV) and the leading risk factor for HIV infection after unsafe sex. Or rate of female homicide by an intimate partner is six times the global average, with a woman killed every 6 hours by her husband or boyfriend. 25% of women in general population have been a victim of physical intimate partner violence. Over 40% of men have perpetrated violence against a female partner. 54 926 rapes of women and children were reported to the police in the year 2005/2006 (SAPS stats 2008). The 54 926 is a small proportion of all rapes, at most 1 in 9 report and 1 in 5 women disclose being forced into sex by an intimate partner. 40% of all rapes reported to the police are children under 18 and 15% are children under 12. There are compelling evidence that women who are abused and men who abuse are more likely to have HIV. The Social Dynamics underlying the problem includes poverty and inequality, childhood and intergenerational cycling of violence, alcohol and drug abuse, fire arms and masculinity.

South Africa's HIV epidemic is defined by UNAIDS as being a hyper- endemic epidemic as a result of the country having more than 15% of the population aged 15- 49 living with HIV.
UNAIDS estimated that in 2007, 33 million people were living with HIV globally. In the same year 2.7 million people became infected with HIV and 2 million people died of HIV related causes. Two thirds of all people living with HIV (67%) are from sub- Saharan Africa. Heterosexual transmission between couples is still the predominant mode of HIV spread in South Africa, However, recent epidemiological evidence has shown the region's epidemic to be more diverse than previously thought, with other focal areas, including sex work, intravenous drug use and sex between men, continuing to play a role in new infections, as well as gender based violence and rape.

We therefore need a service that will respond to this scourge in a way that will empower survivors of abuse and help survivors lead a qualitative life. It is within this context that we continue our lobbying efforts to pressure Government to provide an equal Criminal Justice System. Within our specific Care rooms we reach more or less 2500 survivors of rape and domestic violence each year. Children as young as 3 months old and women as old as 80 years old are being raped. 40% of all rapes take place within the age group of 13 to 18 years and 98% are black female survivors. Boys are also sexually assaulted but it is believed that they are not reporting due to prejudice and misconceptions.

It appears that some unemployed men are prone to alcohol abuse and rape. People from very rural areas also huddle together in living conditions and many of both sexes have to sleep in the same room. Men, who are lacking permanent family ties, prey on vulnerable women in their communities. In certain cultural concepts hitting and violent sex are acceptable and aggression is seen normal for a man. Gang rape is becoming a natural hazard for certain girls and women living in certain areas of the district. If home standards and controls break down, children will get exposed to morbid elements of the street. Parents who are divorced, drunkenness, cruelty or domestic violence are forms of troubled families, and children coming from troubled families end up vulnerable for influence or abuse.

Rape can scar the survivor both emotionally and physically and affects the entire family. Physical after-effects include sexually transmitted diseases, pregnancy, or HIV/Aids, urinary tract infections and damage. Many rape survivors also experience severe physical symptoms of nervousness and tension, rapid heartbeat, chest pain, indigestion, nausea and vomiting, tremors, dizziness, fatigue, confusion or memory loss, headaches and sleeplessness.

All rape survivors show symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Syndrome after rape. Symptoms include prolonged depression, sleeplessness, changed eating patterns, suicidal thoughts, panic attacks, flashbacks and nightmares, mood swings, outbursts of anger, relationship problems, problems with sexuality, social withdrawal, substance abuse, intense fear, anxiety and phobias.

In order to deal with the after-effects of rape, it is recommended that all rape survivors receive intensive psychological counselling to deal with the trauma. If friends, relatives or children were present during the rape, they will also need counselling

BROAD AIMS OF GRIP

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