05 March 2008

South African Women Hold Miniskirt Protest

Hundreds of South African women demonstrated at a commuter taxi rank, where a woman was sexually assaulted for wearing a miniskirt, calling for an end to harassment for wearing miniskirts.

Nwabisa Ngcukana, 25, returned to where she was allegedly attacked by a group of taxi-drivers and street hawkers, who said she was indecently dressed.

"I came here to show the guys that I'm not scared of them - to face my demons," she told the BBC.

Drivers and hawkers allegedly tore off her clothing because she was being "taught a lesson about wearing a miniskirt". They allegedly sexually assaulted her while others poured alcohol over her head and called her names.

The case has caused a huge row over women's rights and public decency.

The march is the second this month after the incident, which has highlighted the issue of women's rights in South Africa, where sexual violence against women is rife.

The official statistics available show that nearly 23,000 women were raped in the six months to the end of September 2007.

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