The department is opposing a bid to declare unconstitutional the defence a rape accused can use — that they believed the victim had consented

The Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Bill will boost the industry and trafficking and drive it underground

A new bill that seeks to decriminalise sex work is now open for public comment

The group says the amended law ‘further victimises rape victims and survivors by protecting perpetrators based on their unreasonable states of mind’

Aside from the economic benefits, urgent decriminalisation is needed to ensure constitutional rights of the country’s estimated 153 000 sex workers

The South African Law Reform Commission has also called on police to fast-track the establishment of a victim identification database, and link it to Interpol

The Sexual Offences Act criminalises sex with a person under the age of 16 by a person over the age of 18

Survivors, including the abuser’s niece, accuse the Seventh Day Adventist Church of putting its needs ahead of the girls

An exhibition of essays explores the sexual politics that emerged from an oppressive era

Sonke Gender Justice’s Ariane Nevin explains the difference between rape and compelled rape and how the law treats it.

A court ruling has lifted the time limit on reporting sexual assault. Prior to the ruling, we asked survivors how such a ruling would impact them.

Traditional leaders believe the proposed changes to the sexual offences Act will take South Africa to the time of Sodom and Gomorrah.

Proposed amendments to the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Act have raised the ire of Christian-based organisations.

The Concourt has declared a section of the Sexual Offences Act, which deals with someone convicted of an offence against a child, unconstitutional.

An application for the confirmation of a high court order declaring parts of the Act unconstitutional will be scrutinised at the Constitutional Court.

In a unanimous judgment, judges have declared sections of the Sexual Offences Act unconstitutional as they infringe on the rights of adolescents.

The Constitutional Court will decide whether to uphold a finding that parts of the Sexual Offences Act criminalise children who have consensual sex.

In a case before the ConCourt, critics says consensual teen sex has been criminalised by the Sexual Offences Act.

Sections of the Sexual Offences Act that say teenagers should be prosecuted for having consensual sex violates several children’s rights, say NGOs.

Child rights advocates have welcomed a ruling overturning parts of the Sexual Offences Act, which they say was out of step with reality.