Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust (RCCTT)
CONTACT PERSON: Kathleen Dey
PHYSICAL ADDRESS:
23 Trill Road
Observatory
Cape Town
South Africa, 7925
POSTAL ADDRESS:
P O Box 46
Observatory
Cape Town
South Africa, 7935
TELEPHONE: +27 21 447 1467
FAX: + 27 21 447 5458
E-MAIL:kath@rapecrisis.org.zaWEB-SITE:Rape Crisis websiteThe Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust (RCCTT) is a feminist non-profit organisation based out of Cape Town. RCCTT was formed in 1976 and is one of the oldest and most established organisations in South Africa that works in the area of violence against women, with a particular emphasis on rape.
Approach RCCTT believes in confronting the unequal power relations in which sexual violence is rooted and seeks to prevent sexual violence and empower survivors through working with rape survivors, their families, communities and other organisations, institutions and social structures including those within government. RCCTT uses an integrated community development approach in all of its work. Each year RCCTT helps thousands of rape survivor’s through counselling, awareness raising, court support, training, networking, campaigns and advocacy.
Areas of WorkRCCTT does both prevention and support work, through its three main programme areas:Training and public education to create awareness around rape and gender based violence and to assist communities in supporting rape survivors. Issues of gender and rape are also brought up in community debates. Lobbying and advocacy work to drive changes in policy and legislation around sexual violence issues. At the national and provincial levels this is focused on service delivery and legislation around sexual offences and GBV, while at the community level advocacy is focused on building relationships with local police stations and trauma rooms.
RCCTT believes in the value of working in partnerships and networks, and this is done at local, provincial and national levels with the state and a number of other civil society organizations (CSOs). This includes participation in the National Working Group on Sexual Offences that works with a number of other organisations to raise awareness on the Sexual Offences Act. At the provincial level, RCCTT participates in the Gender Justice Forum, which includes government departments and CSOs. RCCTT has also successfully conducted campaigns on violence against women, including Justice Denied, Stop the Bus, and Real Men Don’t Rape.
Capacity on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality RCCTT maintains a feminist understanding of how violence against women is perpetuated. Rape is viewed as one form of GBV that is produced in part by the social attitudes toward the relationships between women and men. RCCTT brings a strong gender analysis to all of their work. Counselling is based on a feminist approach which asserts every individuals’ right to be an active participant in their own healing, where they make their own choices towards growth and change and a greater sense of empowerment. Public education projects are focused on sharing information about rape and on challenging the social norms that contribute towards the perpetuation of sexual violence. Through their participation in networks, RCCTT also works to influence other organisations and government bodies on women’s rights issues around violence.
Approach RCCTT believes in confronting the unequal power relations in which sexual violence is rooted and seeks to prevent sexual violence and empower survivors through working with rape survivors, their families, communities and other organisations, institutions and social structures including those within government. RCCTT uses an integrated community development approach in all of its work. Each year RCCTT helps thousands of rape survivor’s through counselling, awareness raising, court support, training, networking, campaigns and advocacy.
Areas of WorkRCCTT does both prevention and support work, through its three main programme areas:
- Practical and emotional support to rape survivors and their families and friends through a range of projects such as individual counselling, support groups and telephone counselling as well as on site support and advice to survivors at designated health facilities and courts.
Capacity on Women’s Rights and Gender Equality RCCTT maintains a feminist understanding of how violence against women is perpetuated. Rape is viewed as one form of GBV that is produced in part by the social attitudes toward the relationships between women and men. RCCTT brings a strong gender analysis to all of their work. Counselling is based on a feminist approach which asserts every individuals’ right to be an active participant in their own healing, where they make their own choices towards growth and change and a greater sense of empowerment. Public education projects are focused on sharing information about rape and on challenging the social norms that contribute towards the perpetuation of sexual violence. Through their participation in networks, RCCTT also works to influence other organisations and government bodies on women’s rights issues around violence.