NCJ Number
210444
Date Published
May 2003
Length
32 pages
Annotation
This booklet presents the methodology, findings, and recommendations from an independent evaluation of South Africa's 2002 Public Awareness Campaign sponsored by the Sexual Offenses and Community Affairs Unit (SOCA) of the National Prosecuting Authority to inform the public of the legal provisions designed to protect women and children in the areas of sexual offenses and domestic violence.
Abstract
The centerpiece of the Public Awareness Campaign was workshops in which the public was presented with information on their legal rights in these areas as well as the processes and mechanisms available for their enforcement. The evaluation assessed the administration and organization of the campaign and the impact of the campaign on attendees' levels of awareness. The evaluation used qualitative research methods aimed primarily at eliciting information from stakeholders and participating members of the public regarding program implementation and its effects. The evaluation report recommends that preparations, advertising, and other promotional activities for the workshops be undertaken further in advance of the workshop dates. Other recommendations are that local government mechanisms be used to promote the campaign, that information brochures be translated into local languages or the 11 official languages, that presenters limit their use of technical language and in other ways adjust their presentations to the audience level of comprehension, and that the campaign be a continuous effort to provide public information on the campaign issues. The report further recommends that such an ongoing campaign have secure funding for at least 3 to 5 years.