EMAIL RECEIVED IN RESPONSE TO PRESS RELEASE HEADED "Awareness & talk must send relevant message that rape will no longer be tolerated"

The email read:

It is sad that a political party could label one third of South African Men as Rapist! Who do women now trust and where are the stats gathered from. We should not listen to the World out there! Should I look at every third man in society as a rapist and what kind of Message are we sending to the out-side world, that we men are rapists in South AFRICA or at least a third of us and it is unsafe for them to visit our country! So is a fact that a third of America from which all filthy Movies depicting rape and rape/sexual crimes also have one third of their population as rapist?

My response

We are as concerned as you are that all men are getting demonised in the process of speaking out against rape. I don't see, however, how you could have misread our press release which refers to research done on this topic and specifically to "SA men interviewed". The information I referred to was from a Medical Research Council Report. Experts say reducing the number of rapes requires long-term societal solutions, such as addressing male perceptions that rape is manly and providing boys with positive male role models.

Regards

Cheryllyn Dudley MP ACDP

His response:

There are no laws for men abused by women but women are very much prejudiced against men in this new political dispensation and women are also raping men and young boys and this is not considered as rape by society.

No hype is made about it by political parties and it is a shame that Christian as well as secular parties are exploiting such a sad occasion such as the grieve of family of a victim who was murdered and raped by gangsters or ” so-called men”(COWARDS).

Making cheap political gain as always from the community whenever elections are looming and this is like Raping the poor and gullible by exploiting their gullible emotions, sorrow and grieve and illiteracy.
The ruling party, da and it seems the ACDP, for whom I’ve voted have all jumped on the political gain band-wagon and it is a crying shame.

Let us rather distance ourselves from this charade and get involved in issues we  can be seen to be making a difference instead of taking out our political score cards for cheap points based on the grieve and sorrow of others.
A family of nine family members were burnt to death in Macassar and not once was the acdp or other political parties there to assist or provide alternative accommodation!


Hi Cedric

It is so true that because more people like to comment on what we 'don't manage to do' than those who actually help us do what 'needs to be done' we have limitations - this is as frustrating for us as it is for you. What a great pity you did not alert me to the macassar incident. Of course ACDP members in the area probably were there but without any publicity - another thing people often accuse us of - not being visible!!!

I guess we will never please everyone but - we will keep trying!  Thanks for the pointers.

Cheryllyn

PS - Just curious - did you send the same comments to the ANC, DA, COPE and other political parties?