Violence Against Women

Wendy Hlophe* is still visibly grieving for her long-term friend, 28-year-old Sanna Supa, who was shot and killed outside her home in Braamficherville, a South African township, two weeks ago.

Tragically, Hlophe blames herself for Supa’s untimely death. Supa, a lesbian who came out about her sexual orientation three years ago, was one of the few openly gay women living in the township. She was a school administrator at Snake Park High School in Dobsonville, Soweto, and was killed as she parked her car at home on Jul. 1.

Hlophe told IPS that she holds herself responsible for Supa’s death because she is known as an openly gay woman in her township and she supported Supa when she came out. Hlophe fears that their closeness may have made Supa a target.

“We grew up in the same street and were often seen together,” she told IPS.

The New Age reported this week the creation of a new Gender Violence Body by the Minister of of Women, Children, Youth and People with Disabilities to deal with the increasing number of cases of gender-based violence in South Africa. Syabonga Mkhwanazi reports:

The increase in cases of gender-based violence has prompted the Minister of Women, Children, Youth and People with Disabilities, Lulu Xingwana, to set up a new body to deal with the scourge.

Xingwana said that the institution would provide the necessary support structure for the government to help rescue the situation.

The minister said she would launch the National Council against Gender Based Violence in August.

In a trend that is becoming all too familiar, distribution of an alleged gang rape video has again made the news this week. Like the Jules High School case, the cell phone video went viral and was finally reported to the police by an upset parent who found the video on a teenager’s cell phone. The video triggered outrage online among netizens, with many users expressing their anger using the hashtag #RapeVideo on Twitter. Sadly, at the same time, a number of social media users made requests to see the video and jokes about it.

Women’sNet supports the criticism of organisations like Media Monitoring Africa, who have criticized the initial coverage of the story for revealing details about the alleged victim, and the Daily Sun’s publication of a picture of the girl involved.  Survivors have a right to anonymity, and according to our law those who circulate and use images from this video are liable for prosecution.

The Film and Publication Board reminded the general public last Wednesday that possessing or distributing such videos is a crime, and is the equivalent of the possession and distribution of child pornography. This incident not only amounts to the creation and distribution of child pornography but has far reaching implications for those filmed not to mention the role it plays in perpetuating sexual violence against women and children. Coverage of this topic by the media must therefore be sensitive to these implications, and to the rights of the survivor.

Girls & Football SA focuses on the development of girls and women through sport, media and education. In this short video, the role of football in creating a safe space for girls and women in South Africa is explored, with a specific focus on the prevalence of corrective rape in the country.