Important note: Information in this article was accurate in 2004. The state of the art may have changed since the publication date.
Sunday Times - Sunday, 15 August, 2004
Chantelle Benjamin
The Bill has been the subject of heated debate among various or ganisations, particularly after a draft was released in February that contained significant changes to an earlier report submitted by the SA Law Commission.
Women's groups, the Lesbian and Gay Equality Project and those dealing with child abuse and violence launched a campaign this month to raise public awareness about the Bill.
Committee member Sheila Camerer, from the Democratic Alliance, said questions were raised about the Bill's status. The Bill was last discussed in February.
"We were informed that certain sections of the Bill had to be redrafted and certain things had to be added, like a clause on the trafficking of women and children and changes on the treatment of HIV and Aids," she said.
A clause in the draft Bill, which compels the state to pay all medical costs of rape survivors, has been put on the backburner while the Department of Health examined the cost implications.
Particularly controversial claus es include making the purposeful transmission of HIV a criminal offence and the creation of a register for convicted sex offenders.
Another concern was the decision to move the age of consensual sex from 16 to 18. The groups say the change is arbitrary and could lead to teenagers who have consensual sex with other teenagers being persecuted.
However, the decision to adopt one age of consent for those engaging in heterosexual and homosexual sex was commended.
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