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In the fray: TV journalist Nkepile Mabuse confronts lesbian issues.

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Mabuse in this new documentary called World's Untold Stories: They Call It Corrective Rape reveals the extent to which lesbians, often attacked and raped to "cure" them of the "disease", are abused and harassed in South Africa's townships.

Speaking to Sowetan yesterday, the award-winning CNN's Johannesburg correspondent poured her heart out about her experience of the lives of lesbians in a conservative society.

"The level of abuse lesbians suffer from society is shocking. We have often read about the attacks, but what I did not know personally, until I did this documentary, is the constant daily abuse leading to the attacks. These people live in fear in a society where, despite the recognition of their sexuality by the Constitution, they still get harassed, attacked and raped.

"I spent days with some of these lesbians, particularly in Khayelitsha (a township in Cape Town). One of the lesbians in the documentary was stabbed 30 times and gang-raped by four men.

"I have travelled with them on a train to Parliament, and during this short journey they were gripped with fear. I was surprised when we reached the station that these women just dashed out. I only learnt later that on the train they identified some men who were about to attack them."

The seasoned TV journalist said the documentary had completely changed her perspective on the subject.

"These people are protected by the South African Constitution, but the attacks and harassments that continue to bedevil them are just shocking."

There are no statistics in the documentary, just more and more accounts from lesbians who are under attack. The women who speak to Mabuse say they are threatened, abused and raped by men who think they can teach them a lesson, men who think they can "cure" them. They call it "corrective rape" .

There is, however, a spirit of defiance among some lesbians.Twenty-year-old Zukiswa Gaca can't change who she is, but on a night in December 2009, she was raped by a man who tried to do just that. Two years later, she's still on a quest for justice. She's one of many South African lesbians under attack, but one of the few willing to risk pressing charges.

World's Untold Stories: They Call It Corrective Rape airs on CNN on Saturday (October 29) at 3pm and 10pm.

Comments

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Tue May 21 19:38:10 SAST 2013 ::

Oct 25, 2011

Mellow

I will never understand the term CORRECTIVE -RAPE...whats there to correct? what happened to people's rights/ how can a person invade another persons privacy and then claim to be correcting? why are some men sooo cruel? so what if women decided to date other women? who's ish is it? how do you justify rape? aarghhhhhh am frustrated by the rate of women abuse in SA i feel like screaming it just doesnt make sense anymore
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Oct 25, 2011

LehipilaMAFTOWN

This "corrective rape" thing is very disturbing and barbaric and u'll get these animals feeling proud of what they have donem, it's totally sick i don't support in any way I mean how does sum1 b'ng gay or lesbian affect our lives.
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Oct 25, 2011

dinks

And people preach to us about 'Ubuntu' and a tradition of deep caring - WHAT A MONSTROUS LIE.

African society has lost any moral ground and has handed over the day to day running of the country to a mob of hyenas whilst 'society' piously proclaims its moral values.

Sick society........
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Oct 25, 2011

Mpjayalenyora

Before 1994 i didnt know any lesbians, but that may be just my ignorance. To each their own I say! Our consxtitution protect lesbians and gays but our police dont, sad really! Has anyone met a gay shagaan guy? just curious....
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Oct 25, 2011

Mpjayalenyora

LMFAO!!!
@sowetan apparently it is vulgar to ask whether there are v.e.n.d.a gay guys according to your comments bouncer Hehehehe i can understand why that would be vulgar hehehehe haai !!!!...
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Oct 25, 2011

RobinH

The appalling tradition-entrenched chauvinism of South African society as is reflected in the issue Ms Mabuse is tackling just shows how superficial our grasp of the concept of liberation really is. We are still very far from the end of the real liberation struggle.
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Oct 25, 2011

IcePop

Rape is rape and wrong, rapists must be locked up.
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Oct 25, 2011

RedRhino

Sometimes Lesbians cross the line,
I was so offended when one blatantly told me that she can take my girl since I was not married 2 her.....

Since DAT day, I hv my own reservations coz wen U try 2 accommodate, they’ll start taking advantage!!!

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Oct 25, 2011

sabza007

Victims of this so called corrective are raped and killed in a most visious, brutal and dehuman way. Eugene Khoza (Banyana Banyana player) was killed in a brutal behind Kwa-Thema Hostel. In April this year, another lesbian who was coming out from the pub at night was killed in a way that shocked the world, in a same township.Gang Raped, stabbed, a beer bottle shoved in her vagina and her skull was crushed with a huge rock.

This story angered me because the nearest house where this lady was killed is 20 metres away.Why didn't they call the police,? blow a whistle and so forth, because this lady screamed for help but people just looked through their windows.

Lets protect each other against any form of abuse......It can happen to wife, daughter or some one close to you one day.
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Oct 25, 2011

Nwanawamukalaha

These people live in fear in a society where, despite the recognition of their sexuality by the Constitution, they still get harassed, attacked and raped.
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The constitution will never control people, it is ungodly for a person to sleep with another one of the same gender, period.

Old beliefs, in Christianity and Muslim do not give a thmbs up to this, that's why in Zimbabwe and Uganda it's not allowed.
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