Mariné Jacobs
The public outrage following the horrific rape and mutilation of 17-year-old Anene Booysen of Bredasdorp in the Southern Cape was nothing short of colossal. News headlines condemned the atrocious crime, demanding immediate action from government. Suddenly South Africans seemed to wake up from their apathetic slumber, organising marches, signing petitions and protesting outside courtrooms.
Yet in the weeks since Booysen’s horrific murder as many as 82 000 women have been raped, according to a statement by the IFP. So what have we accomplished through our public outrage? Awareness? Probably. Solutions? I doubt it. Lisa Vetten, an expert who is conducting research on the politics of domestic and gender violence, says South Africans are driven by outrage rather than a careful analysis of the problem. “Awareness is well and good, but it doesn’t even begin to address the depth of the problem,” said Vetten. “Men who have hostile attitudes towards women are left cold by marches. I don’t think they even pay attention to them or that it makes any difference in their lives. On top of that, a lot of men are in denial about their own abusiveness and show off their denial by going on marches.”
“No single cultural group can or should be blamed for gender-based violence in the country,” the Presidency said last week following Minister for Women, Children and People with Disabilities Lulu Xingwana’s remark about Afrikaner men in a recent interview. However, pinpointing the root of the gender violence problem seems to be rather difficult. So what can we do except march? “We need to take a deep breath and take a step back to look at the problem,” said Vetten. According to her, there is a definite policing and criminal justice dimension. “Join your community policing forum. If you’re a concerned citizen, go to your local police station and ask to look at the state of the victim empowerment room. Ask if the police have all the necessary documents required by law to treat rape and domestic violence survivors.”
Vetten also encourages people to arm themselves with knowledge by knowing what should be happening after a rape has been reported. Breaking the stereotypes surrounding rape is part of the solution, she says. “Talk to your friends – it is the everyday interactions with each other where the change happens. If someone at your workplace makes a derogatory comment towards women, that is your opportunity to say something.” She also emphasizes practical solutions such as arranging for alternate transport for female employees who live in informal settlements and often have to walk far distances in dangerous environments to get to work. “Put pressure on your councils to do something about the unsafe living conditions in which poorer communities live.”
The torture and death of Anene Booysen was an indication of a deeply troubled society – one that desperately needs sustainable, long-term solutions. Marching is not enough.
