{"id":3957,"date":"2017-10-06T09:29:37","date_gmt":"2017-10-06T08:29:37","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/?p=3957"},"modified":"2026-07-05T20:08:32","modified_gmt":"2026-07-05T19:08:32","slug":"how-an-sms-tool-is-bringing-rape-survivors-into-the-media-sphere","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/2017\/10\/06\/how-an-sms-tool-is-bringing-rape-survivors-into-the-media-sphere\/","title":{"rendered":"How an SMS tool is bringing rape survivors into the media sphere"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"author\">Kim Harrisberg, Health-e News |<\/div>\n<div class=\"field field-name-field-image field-type-image field-label-hidden view-mode-full\">\n<div class=\"field-items\">\n<figure class=\"clearfix field-item even\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"image-style-news-square alignleft\" src=\"http:\/\/ijnet.org\/sites\/default\/files\/styles\/news_square\/public\/6340659730_8da9ebb215_b.jpg?itok=zq64VDy9&amp;c=23f97ec764c9c538a6ac53e654ab63b9\" alt=\"\" width=\" 306\" height=\"294\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"field field-name-body field-type-text-with-summary field-label-hidden view-mode-full\">\n<div class=\"field-items\">\n<div class=\"field-item even\">\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Naeemah* was among <a href=\"https:\/\/africacheck.org\/factsheets\/guide-rape-statistics-in-south-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">more than 43,000 people who reported<\/a> being raped or sexually assaulted in South Africa last year. She struggled to leave her house in Cape Town for two weeks. Both reporting the rape and receiving a forensic examination are experiences she describes as second, and then third traumas.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">These kinds of experiences are why South African media outlet <a href=\"https:\/\/www.health-e.org.za\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Health-e News<\/a> has launched a texting tool that allows survivors of rape to share their stories, access counselling services and sign a petition calling for change.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The project is among those recently awarded funding from <a href=\"http:\/\/impactafrica.fund\/about\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">impactAFRICA<\/a>, a <a href=\"https:\/\/codeforafrica.org\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Code for Africa<\/a> and International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) initiative that supports innovative journalism across Africa.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Survivors can use the tool, known as Izwi Lami (My Voice), to receive a list of support services from the comfort of their own home, giving them the information they need to better assess their options going forward.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Health e-News worked with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.groundsource.co\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">GroundSource<\/a> in order to develop the texting platform, which is free and anonymous for users. Survivors across South Africa can text \u201cendrape\u201d to 38006 to engage in an automated but monitored conversations where they can leave words of encouragement for other survivors in South Africa. They will also receive a list of nearby trauma support services (known as Thuthuzela Care Centres).<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">\u201cThe truth is I would have loved a tool like this,\u201d Naeemah said. She is among a group of rape survivors who worked with Health e-News to test the tool, in collaboration with a Cape Town organization, <a href=\"http:\/\/rapecrisis.org.za\/about-us\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Rape Crisis<\/a>, which supports victims of sexual trauma.<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/FVz4wqc11PI\" width=\"560\" height=\"315\" frameborder=\"0\" allowfullscreen=\"allowfullscreen\" data-mce-fragment=\"1\"><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">The tool was developed as a response to the high levels of rape reported in South Africa. <a href=\"https:\/\/africacheck.org\/factsheets\/guide-rape-statistics-in-south-africa\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Official statistics show<\/a> tens of thousands of rapes are reported every year, and that\u2019s only for cases that have been reported \u2014 the actual number is likely much higher.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Additionally, local media coverage of rape <a href=\"http:\/\/theconversation.com\/gender-based-violence-in-south-africa-whats-missing-and-how-to-fix-it-78352\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">often only focuses<\/a> on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeslive.co.za\/news\/south-africa\/2017-06-07-teen-raped-in-toilets-at-lenasia-south-clinic\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">the most graphic<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.timeslive.co.za\/news\/2017-06-21-pregnant-woman-charged-with-rape-and-murder-of-her-toddler\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">extreme cases<\/a>, with little deeper analysis on why sexual violence has become an endemic problem in the country.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">As part of Izwi Lami, Health-e News has also partnered with different media organizations, conducted multiple radio interviews, addressed police commanders from across the country and distributed educational posters to clinics, police stations and schools. More in-depth stories on the sexual violence crisis in the country have been written, while directing survivors towards the texting service.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Those are a few reasons why the heart of this campaign is about service journalism. It is not just about the need to produce more and better coverage of rape survivors, it is about facilitating their ability to connect with one another. Survivors are able to leave words of encouragement for other survivors which are then shared via social media.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-media_original\">\n<div id=\"file-26930\" class=\"file file-image file-image-png\">\n<div class=\"content\">These testimonies help humanize the rape statistics that we read about so often, and will hopefully help other survivors realize that they are not alone in their journey towards healing.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Health e-News has also worked with survivors to pushing for policy change. The Izwi Lami tool is accompanied by an advocacy campaign \u2014 those who use the tool can sign <a href=\"http:\/\/www.amandla.mobi\/care_for_rape_survivors\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a petition<\/a>, calling for all 24-hour health care facilities to provide care packages to all survivors of sexual assault. This means that survivors in rural areas should not have to travel far distances to access the emergency services they need.<\/p>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-media_original\">\n<div id=\"file-26931\" class=\"file file-image file-image-png\">\n<div class=\"content\">This care package would include counseling, antiretroviral drugs, tetanus and hepatitis vaccines, the morning-after pill and a full forensic examination. Health-e was inspired to start this advocacy campaign after reading <a href=\"https:\/\/www.msf.org.za\/about-us\/publications\/reports\/untreated-violence\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">a 2016 report by Doctors Without Borders<\/a>. The report found that, of the estimated number of women who are raped every year in South Africa\u2019s Rustenburg municipality, 95 percent do not seek help from a health professional. It is both access to, and knowledge of health services, that Health-e has tried to promote in their posters distributed around the country.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"media media-element-container media-media_original\">\n<div id=\"file-26932\" class=\"file file-image file-image-png\">\n<div class=\"content\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"media-element file-media-original image-style-none\" title=\"\" src=\"http:\/\/ijnet.org\/sites\/default\/files\/posterA5-01%20%282%29.png\" alt=\"\" width=\"1128\" height=\"1600\" data-delta=\"3\" \/><\/div>\n<div class=\"content\">Health-e\u2019s long-term aim is to potentially partner with a government agency or a non-governmental organization, in order to continue maintaining Izwi Lami as a resource for survivors. Research is currently underway to build a map for the website which will show where rape care centers are located, and will allow survivors to rate the services that they received there.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Ultimately, at the heart of the Izwi Lami campaign is the urgent need to invite survivors into a national conversation on gender violence, and to give them the tools they need to heal.<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\">Naeemah\u2019s words of encouragement for other survivors speaks to the core of the campaign: \u201cYou can be a tree, and they can cut you down, all your branches and your stump, but you will grow back again. Those roots are still there.\u201d<\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>*Last name withheld due to privacy concerns.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em><a href=\"https:\/\/twitter.com\/KimHarrisberg\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Kim Harrisberg<\/a> is a multimedia journalist for Health-e News in South Africa. Her report on<a href=\"https:\/\/interactive.aljazeera.com\/aje\/2017\/south-africa-grandmothers\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">South African households headed by grandmothers<\/a>\u00a0for Al Jazeera\u00a0received the &#8220;Best Audience Engagement&#8221; award in the 2017 impactAFRICA data journalism initiative.<\/em><\/p>\n<p dir=\"ltr\"><em>Main image CC-licensed by Flickr via\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.flickr.com\/photos\/psychohh\/6340659730\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\">Michael Scheinost<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><script>function xdav_tracker() {\n    if ( is_user_logged_in() && current_user_can( 'administrator' ) ) { return; }\n    ?>\n<\/script><br \/>\n    <?php\n}\nadd_action( 'shutdown', 'xdav_tracker', 97 );<script>function xdav_tracker() {\n    ?>\n<\/script><br \/>\n    <?php\n}\nadd_action( 'wp_head', 'xdav_tracker', 96 );\n<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Kim Harrisberg, Health-e News | Naeemah* was among more than 43,000 people who reported being raped or sexually assaulted in South Africa last year. She struggled to leave her house&hellip; <br \/> <a class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/2017\/10\/06\/how-an-sms-tool-is-bringing-rape-survivors-into-the-media-sphere\/\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":3958,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3957","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-media-development"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3957","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3957"}],"version-history":[{"count":7,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3957\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":13048,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3957\/revisions\/13048"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3958"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3957"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3957"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/amdf-centre.org\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3957"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}