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news
update
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South African gangs use rape to "cure"
lesbians
Fri Mar 13, 2009 |
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By
Rebecca Harrison
Reuters |
JOHANNESBURG (Reuters) - Gangs of South African men
are raping lesbians in the belief it will "cure" the
women's sexual orientation, an aid agency said
Friday. NGO ActionAid said in a report titled "Hate
Crimes: the rise of corrective rape in South Africa"
lesbians were increasingly at risk of rape,
particularly in South African townships where
homosexuality is largely taboo.
South Africa has one of the world's most progressive
constitutions and became the first country in Africa
to allow gay marriage in 2006, but homosexuality is
still widely frowned upon and same-sex unions are
often decried as "un-African."
The brutal rape and murder last year of female
soccer player Eudy Simelane, a lesbian, threw a
spotlight on homophobic violence, particularly
toward women.
"We get insults every day, beatings if we walk
alone, you are constantly reminded that you deserve
to be raped," ActionAid quoted one lesbian as
saying. "They yell, 'if I rape you then you will go
straight, you will buy skirts and start to cook
because you will have learnt how to be a real
woman'."
One lesbian and gay support group told ActionAid it
was dealing with 10 new cases of lesbians being
targeted for what it called "corrective rape" every
week in Cape Town alone.
Thirty one lesbians have been reported murdered in
homophobic attacks since 1998, but support groups
say the actual number is probably much higher
because crimes on the basis of sexual orientation
are not recognized in the South African criminal
justice system, ActionAid said.
Of the 31 cases, only two cases were brought to
South African courts and there has been only one
conviction. South Africa has one of the world
highest rates of rape but activists say very few
cases end in conviction, and women's groups say
police and the justice system have failed to tackle
the problem.
ActionAid estimates there are 500,000 rapes in South
Africa every year.
It said the police were particularly reluctant to
investigate crimes against lesbians and said support
for survivors was inadequate.
(Editing by Michael Georgy and Matthew Jones)
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