Shukumisa is made up of NGOs, community-based organisations, research institutions and legal services. Our members work with adults, children, people with disabilities, sex workers and the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender and intersex community and other key populations.

Our mission is to ensure that South Africa takes the problem of sexual violence seriously, as evidenced by well crafted, well implemented legislation derived from broad-based public participation processes.

Shukumisa is not registered as a legal entity. It operates as a coalition of organisations through collaboration under one umbrella. Our democratically elected steering committee is made up of 10 Shukumisa members and the hosting organisation. Shukumisa has a full time coordinator currently based at the Rape Crisis Cape Town Trust.

The Shukumisa Coalition operates nationally targeting three thematic areas under which it runs different projects. Members actively support the projects and are organised in task teams/working groups according to these themes. They are held together through email correspondences and, subject to availability of funding, theme specific meetings and workshops.

All projects also aim to empower communities to effectively mobilise for access to justice and to challenge prevailing myths, stereotypes and practices relating to sexual violence.

Terms of Reference

Read our terms to see how we operate

STEERING COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Our members elect the Shukumisa Steering Committee at the General Members Meeting

Our donor partners

Some of Shukumisa’s achievements over recent years

Throughout the history of the coalition several things have remained constant – capacity building amongst members, the use of multiple strategies to achieve goals, and an unwavering commitment to promoting the rights and needs of survivors of sexual violence.


SOA Amendment

The power of Shukumisa members repeating similar clear messages to the relevant structures led to the amendment of the Sexual Offences Act in July 2015.

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Response to Crime Statistics

Shukumisa collaborated with the Institute for Security Studies (ISS) for a response on assault and sexual crimes when the crime statistics were released in 2015.

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Care Work Project

From a small reference group of Shukumisa members to a fully funded advocacy project consisting of various networks providing care services.

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Shukumisa General Members Meeting

Shukumisa hosted its fourth General Members Meeting. Over 50 member organisations attended the meeting from 14 to 16 August. A report will be available soon.

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YUW Programme

Shukumisa together with young urban women developed a booklet for people to understand what is needed to recover after rape. The book also explains Thuthuzela Care Centres (TCCs).

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16 Days of Discontent

Shukumisa produced 12 fact sheets as part of a media campaign to question the care and quality of services provided by government departments and organisations to victims of violence during 16 Days of Activism in 2015.

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A Brief History

Shukumisa’s history is rooted in the formation of the National Working Group on Sexual Offences (NWGSO) in 2004. Their aim was to use broader and more inclusive strategies for targeting the state to ensure rights for sexual offences survivors.

After many years of activism and legislative amendments, the Criminal Law (Sexual Offences and Related Matters) Amendment Act (Act 32 of 2007) was signed by the President in 2008. The members of the NWGSO turned their focus towards the implementation of the new law. The name Shukumisa Campaign was chosen to represent the desire of member organisations to shake up public and political will to develop and implement policies and strengthen laws related to sexual offences in South Africa.

In 2017 the Shukumisa Campaign changed to the Shukumisa Coalition, reflecting more accurately the work of a coalition made up of different projects that include advocacy campaigns, capacity building and network administration.

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