CGU Insurance of South Africa this week launched its new Rape Survivor policy, an insurance plan aimed at survivors of sexual abuse. The plan will offer a toll-free hotline, counseling, support groups and assistance filing charges against the attacker. The policy also covers anti-retroviral treatment, prophylactic treatment and HIV testing.
Reactions to the new policy by women’s organizations in South Africa are mixed. In a country where HIV infections reach as high as 38% in some regions, opponents of the new insurance call it “opportunistic.” Others believe the insurance will provide useful assistance to survivors of rape and sexual abuse.
