What the hell is wrong in South Africa?

[RedRalph]

From guardian

One in four men in South Africa have admitted to rape and many confess to attacking more than one victim, according to a study that exposes the country's endemic culture of sexual violence.

Three out of four rapists first attacked while still in their teens, the study found. One in 20 men said they had raped a woman or girl in the last year.

South Africa is notorious for having one of the highest levels of rape in the world. Only a fraction are reported, and only a fraction of those lead to a conviction.

The study into rape and HIV, by the country's Medical Research Council (MRC), asked men to tap their answers into a Palm Pilot device to guarantee anonymity. The method appears to have produced some unusually frank responses.

Professor Rachel Jewkes of the MRC, who carried out the research, said: "We have a very, very high prevalence of rape in South Africa. I think it is down to ideas about masculinity based on gender hierarchy and the sexual entitlement of men. It's rooted in an African ideal of manhood."

Jewkes and her colleagues interviewed a representative sample of 1,738 men in South Africa's Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal provinces.

Of those surveyed, 28% said they had raped a woman or girl, and 3% said they had raped a man or boy. Almost half who said they had carried out a rape admitted they had done so more than once, with 73% saying they had carried out their first assault before the age of 20.

The study, which had British funding, also found that men who are physically violent towards women are twice as likely to be HIV-positive. They are also more likely to pay for sex and to not use condoms.

Any woman raped by a man over the age of 25 has a one in four chance of her attacker being HIV-positive.

One in 10 men said they had been forced to have sex with another man. Many find it difficult to report such attacks to the police in subcultures where the concept of homosexuality is taboo.

South Africa's government has been repeatedly criticised for failing to address the crisis. Only 7% of reported rapes are estimated to lead to a conviction. Jewkes said: "There's been a lot of concern about the way the criminal justice system works, because it's still woeful."

Before his election as president, Jacob Zuma stood trial for the rape of a family friend. His supporters demonstrated at the court house, verbally attacked his accuser and sang "burn the . .. .. .. .. ., burn the . .. .. .. .. .". Zuma was eventually acquitted.

Jewkes added: "The social space for debating these gender issues is now smaller than it was a few years ago. We need our government to show political leadership in changing attitudes. We need South African men, from the top to the grassroots, to take responsibility."

Anti-rape campaigners said the shocking figures demonstrated the need for reform. Dean Peacock, co-director of the Sonke Gender Justice project, said: "We need to make sure the criminal justice system is held to account. We have lots of discussion in this country, but not enough action is taken to ensure that perpetrators will face consequences."

Zuma, a polygamist, was criticised for emphasising his Zulu tribal identity and singing militant songs during this year's election campaign. He made comments that outraged anti-Aids and gender campaigners.

Peacock added: "We're at a complicated moment in South African history with revived traditionalism and there's a danger of gender transformation being lost.

"We hear men saying, 'If Jacob Zuma can have many wives, I can have many girlfriends.' The hyper-masculine rhetoric of the Zuma campaign is going to set back our work in challenging the old model of masculinity."

Carrie Shelver, an activist with People Opposing Women Abuse, said: "Generally there's a deficit of understanding and commitment to women's rights by the leadership of this country. It's simply not on people's agenda."

A report published by the trade union Solidarity earlier this month said that one child is raped in South Africa every three minutes, with 88% of rapes going unreported. It found that levels of child abuse in South Africa are increasing rapidly.

Seriously what the hell is wrong with these vermin? How can this have become so commonplace?

 

[Snorrius]

Well, after fall of apartheid there is a democracy in South Africa, so probably majority decided to move closer to traditional values.

 

[Arwon]

Oh good, that'll ensure a productive discussion.

 

[RedRalph]

Well, after fall of apartheid there is a democracy in South Africa, so probably majority decided to move closer to traditional values.

What is that supposed to mean?

 

[History_Buff]

Seriously though, that's messed up. Would be nice if someone had a real answer.

 

[Snorrius]

Oh good, that'll ensure a productive discussion.

Well, that was the most political correct sentence I could think of. At first, I wanted to say that people of South Africa have no experience in state building and managing, but remembered that one can not say such things about Afro-Africans especially democratic ones. So I had to come up with "traditional values" hypothesis.

 

[Masada]

... even the President is a rapist and I have no idea

 

[Tee Kay]

Carrie Shelver, an activist with People Opposing Women Abuse, said: "Generally there's a deficit of understanding and commitment to women's rights by the leadership of this country. It's simply not on people's agenda."

I think this is it. Sadly I don't think the situation is going to change much any time soon.

 

[RedRalph]

Well, that was the most political correct sentence I could think of. At first, I wanted to say that people of South Africa have no experience in state building and managing, but remembered that one can not say such things about Afro-Africans especially democratic ones. So I had to come up with "traditional values" hypothesis.

Hold on a minutre, what the hell are you talking about. None of this has anyhting to do with statebuilding, nor does the article make any reference to the ethnic group of the men surveyed. Say what you really mean or stay out of it

 

[Greizer85]

I hear they throw babies out with the bathwater in South Africa... Literally. I guess that tribal culture and modern city anonymity don't mix all that well. This place and Japan (to a lesser extent) make me wonder about humanity.

 

[Snorrius]

Hold on a minutre, what the hell are you talking about. None of this has anyhting to do with statebuilding, nor does the article make any reference to the ethnic group of the men surveyed. Say what you really mean or stay out of it

Things went downhill in SA since they became democratic in terms of economy and laws (usual route, not only for Africa). Add to this migrants from Zimbabwe (about several millions). As for raping - it is no wonder. Most of the locals are very poor, unemployment is high, and human rights do not really have any strong roots in Africa. After all, about half of the million Tutsis were killed with sticks in last big quarrel with Hutus. If human life is of so little value there, no wonder raping is barely considered as sin. As for state - it is actually one of the main state's task to ensure security of its own citizens.

 

[Winner]

It's rooted in an African ideal of manhood

Our resident multiculties won't like that...

 

[Masada]

I think this is it. Sadly I don't think the situation is going to change much any time soon.

... the government won't change what the people think: they had perfectly good role models in the last two Presidents.

 

[RedRalph]

Our resident multiculties won't like that...

Well, no, I dont like it, seeing as this dosent seems to be a problem in tunisia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Cameroon, Madagascar, CAR etc etc. It would be a bit like saying all eastern Europe is racist because of a few Czech fascists, if you can imagine that

 

[Snorrius]

Well, no, I dont like it, seeing as this dosent seems to be a problem in tunisia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Cameroon, Madagascar, CAR etc etc. It would be a bit like saying all eastern Europe is racist because of a few Czech fascists, if you can imagine that

Well, you are right here, so if you really interested in answer - the traditional beliefs may be the answer. Most of the countries you have cited are much more religious than SAR (especially where Islam is). Madagascar is the island, so their traditional culture should be different to South African's. So it just happened that traditional values do not consider rape as a big deal. There is nothing wrong with SAR.

 

[Winner]

Well, no, I dont like it, seeing as this dosent seems to be a problem in tunisia, Ethiopia, Senegal, Cameroon, Madagascar, CAR etc etc. It would be a bit like saying all eastern Europe is racist because of a few Czech fascists, if you can imagine that

Quarter of a population isn't "few", IMHO, and I seriously doubt this is just a South African problem. Considering the state of other sub-Saharan countries, I wouldn't be surprised to hear that the rape problem is even worse there.

I'd rather not lump North African countries together with the rest of the continent.

 

[Arwon]

Actually, if 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual assault, as some data suggest, what does that say about the menfolk even in our countries?

That said, South Africa obviously has a particular problem here.

 

[Winner]

Actually, if 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual assault, as some data suggest, what does that say about the menfolk even in our countries?

Well, due to the rampant feminism in certain Western countries, the women feel raped when a man look at them "lustfully", so I wouldn't take it seriously.

That said, South Africa obviously has a particular problem here.

I think the first sentence is revealing:

"One in four men in South Africa have admitted to rape..."

 

[aronnax]

Actually, if 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual assault, as some data suggest, what does that say about the menfolk even in our countries?

That said, South Africa obviously has a particular problem here.

That we are disgusting on a less outrageous but more office level?

 

[Snorrius]

Actually, if 1 in 4 women have experienced sexual assault, as some data suggest, what does that say about the menfolk even in our countries?

I think when science will make breakthrough, we (menfolk) will be able to clone some pretty artificial girls, and leave women to whine alone about how bad men are .