Asylum and sexual violence in SA
on January 8, 2007
Category: Zimbabwe, African Women, Human Rights, Gender Violence
A large number of Zimbabwean women seeking asylum in South Africa are victims of rape mostly by members of the Zimbabwean ruling party - ZANU-PF and members of the various security forces including the police who are the worst offenders. This is Zimbabwe has reported on the harassment and abuse of members of WOZA (Women of Zimbabwe Arise) on many occasions. All women activists and opposition supporters are at risk of assault, torture and rape simply for attending opposition rallies.
Women have been reporting the rapes to the Zimbabwe Torture Victims/Survivors Project (ZTVP) based in Johannesburg and the organisation estimate some 15% of asylum seekers are rape victims. What is worse is the failure of the South African government to support the plight of the women through their refusal to censure Zimbabwe at the UN, AU and SADC. Last month the ZTVP released a report based on the testimonies of women asylum seekers in South Africa
“She [X] tried to resist. She was trampled upon, and burnt with a cigarette on her thighs and buttocks. The perpetrator ejaculated inside her vagina and smeared his semen all over her body. He also urinated on her. He did this so that she could not forget the experience. She was taken back to Harare police station and instructed to bathe herself. She was also threatened with death should she inform anyone,” said the report.
A spokesperson for the South African government said he did not “believe in talking down to Zimbabwe” and that it was a matter for the people of Zimbabwe themselves to “resolve their problems”. Well thank you very much - how soon people forget. Forget the support of the Zimbabwean people towards the South African people during the apartheid period. Just as well Zimbabweans did not feel the same way about that!
Tags: Zimbabwe; South Africa; Sexual Violence
Sphere: Related Content
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3 Comments so far
1. Kym Platt
January 8th, 2007 at 4:25 pm
Women from Zimbabwe seeking asylum in a country that turns a blind eye to the sexual brutalization of its own female citizens is…really sad.
2. Sokari
January 8th, 2007 at 7:19 pm
Kym@ missed that side of story which makes it even more ironic!
3. kameelah
January 8th, 2007 at 8:54 pm
it is interesting how rape becomes a country specific problem rather than a global problem. forced penetration knows no borders or boundaries, so why should country leaders, and organizations artificially demarcate boundaries of involvement. the situation is sickening and i think there is a need for rape to not only be categorized as sexual violence and abuse, to an act of war against women. as audre lorde said ‘rape is not aggressive sexuality, it is sexualized aggression.’ rape has become a form of conquest and silencing. in reading the graphic narrative, and listening to the loud silence of stories untold…i am disgusted with the idea that anyone could simply say ‘this is not our problem.’ this goes to the heart of failing to realizing the intersectionality of oppressions and machineries of subjugation. there is not one problem on the african continent that south africa can say is “country x’s own problem.” even if south africa does not see it now, their failure of intervention makes them complicit.