Unisa PhD student, social entrepreneur, and founder of Ebukhosini Solutions, Amani Olubanjo Buntu, has investigated how rape has become so prevalent in a country with indigenous cultures that used to have a very high sense of morality, respectful behaviour and family orientation.
With more than 70 000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported each year in South Africa, and estimations that this may reflect only one ninth of the actual number, South Africa has been labelled the “rape capital” of the world. One has only to look at recent media reports, including the live broadcast of the Oscar Pistorius trial, to ascertain the severity of violence against women in South Africa.
A few reported incidents in the last 15 months include, amongst others, the gang rape of 17 year-old Anene Booysen who was also mutilated and left for dead; the death of Charmaine Mare, 16, who was burnt–her arms and legs hacked off; the abduction of Jennifer Williams, 12, whose body was found a week later; 16 year-old Micaela Manneson, who was burnt with tyres; the half-naked body of five-year-old Lilitha Mgwebi found under a blanket on a bed in a shack; the shooting and killing of Reeva Steenkamp, 29; the rape and killing of 14 year-old Thandeka Madonsela–her stomach was cut open and her intestines placed next to her battered body; and the rape and killing of Zanele Khumalo, 18, by her partner–she was pregnant with his child at the time of her death.
While not fully reflective of the magnitude of the problem, what these media reports have done is bring to the forefront the link between masculinity and a culture of abuse in South Africa. Gender experts say there are many reasons for this violence such as social and cultural factors which influence social upbringing.
Unisa PhD student, Amani Olubanjo Buntu who investigated rape, with specific focus on the role of African men for his master’s studies, spoke to eConnect on this issue. He recently received a Graduate Excellence Award in the College of Education for his master’s thesis, Rape, rage and culture: African men and cultural conditions for justification of, and sanctions against rape. As a social entrepreneur, and founder of Ebukhosini Solutions, Buntu says his interest was to investigate how rape has become so prevalent in a country with indigenous cultures that used to have a very high sense of morality, respectful behaviour and family orientation. He also felt that the national discourse on rape in South Africa rarely asks “why do African men rape?”
“The objective was not to justify rape, but identify clues which, in turn, can help to prevent the spread of sexual violence. The reason I chose for it to be a cultural inquiry was to investigate how rape is understood, justified and sanctioned in African societies–with the objective of locating the discussion in a solution-oriented approach with specific focus on African customs, realities and aspirations. I wanted to interrogate African culture in light of both political realities, history and social norms as they relate to notions of Black masculinity. African problems have often been studied and explained through the lens of an outside view–this study was motivated by employing an inside view.”
African masculinities : Buntu says that rape in South Africa occurs because of the prevalence of violence as part of society’s social fabric. The country’s long history of social injustices and political oppression has also created distorted masculinities, deprivation of authentic manhood, and confusion over gender roles. “There is a general climate of perpetual anger and resentment, stemming from repeated experiences of invalidation, powerlessness and poverty. This climate has made experiences of abuse, violation, disrespect, force, intimidation and coercing part of everyday life to the majority of South Africans. Men who have been abused themselves are likely to abuse others and some men believe they have the right to control and abuse women. Confusion about cultural identity has resulted in constructs where tradition is sometimes used to justify violence and the experience of violation is reduced to a private and unquestionable sphere.”
When trying to understand what constitutes African manhood, Buntu found the conflict between how African masculinity is perceived and experienced, in addition to the collective experience of enslavement, colonialism, apartheid and imperialism have affected notions of African masculinities and weakened the cultural institutions that traditionally would be responsible for teaching positive manhood.
Rage and culture : Both in terms of racial stereotypes and the experience of violent oppression historically, African men have had to confront rage on many levels. The many layers of historical injustices, economic disparities, lack of access to influence, a corrupted sense of identity, inability to live up to expectations and the multitude of negative sentiments against African men create a psycho-emotional state of extreme anger, says Buntu. “An anger that men are expected to overcome, under-communicate and get passed.”
Buntu adds that Eurocentric scholarship has objectified African culture, affecting African men and creating cultural illiteracy where men either become estranged from their traditions or infuse foreign concepts into old practices. “The study showed that many African men desire to have a strong cultural identity, but struggle to navigate between cultural marginalisation and pressure to become westernised. The many conflicting value-systems that co-exist in Africa create confusion and hopelessness; this situation delays and complicates processes for collective, practical responses to socioeconomic problems and, by extension, issues of violence and rape.”
Finding solutions : The confusion surrounding failing masculinities, the invalidated rage and the cultural alienation experienced by African men hold important clues to a better understanding of why rape occurs in Africa, says Buntu. “Rape is a huge problem in South Africa and the continent, which, due to its complexity, leaves both researchers and the general population despondent as to what should be done to fully resolve it. It is linked to a multitude of causes and effects and its resolve cannot be located in a one-dimensional approach. Solving rape is a community responsibility and must be taken seriously by all, including acknowledging that men may also be raped.”
Buntu’s study suggests a few recommendations such as innovative research, broadening the position of cultural institutions, empowering families and communities, and implementing strategies for developing grounded and relevant African masculinities. “A radical and transdisciplinary approach is essential if we are to stop rape. Many of the social ills plaguing African communities, including rape, are manifestations of global power imbalances. Therefore, without addressing the wider imbalances and radically redressing these imbalances, the many streams of exploitative power that lead to rape will not cease. It is essential that the work against violence and rape continue, and that this work be motivated by a firm belief in the possibility of culture assisting in forging new and sustainable realities where men and women work together for balance and not in oppositional attempts to dominate the other.”
/Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester
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With more than 70 000 cases of rape and sexual violence reported each year in South Africa, and estimations that this may reflect only one ninth of the actual number, South Africa has been labelled the “rape capital” of the world. One has only to look at recent media reports, including the live broadcast of the Oscar Pistorius trial, to ascertain the severity of violence against women in South Africa.
A few reported incidents in the last 15 months include, amongst others, the gang rape of 17 year-old Anene Booysen who was also mutilated and left for dead; the death of Charmaine Mare, 16, who was burnt–her arms and legs hacked off; the abduction of Jennifer Williams, 12, whose body was found a week later; 16 year-old Micaela Manneson, who was burnt with tyres; the half-naked body of five-year-old Lilitha Mgwebi found under a blanket on a bed in a shack; the shooting and killing of Reeva Steenkamp, 29; the rape and killing of 14 year-old Thandeka Madonsela–her stomach was cut open and her intestines placed next to her battered body; and the rape and killing of Zanele Khumalo, 18, by her partner–she was pregnant with his child at the time of her death.
While not fully reflective of the magnitude of the problem, what these media reports have done is bring to the forefront the link between masculinity and a culture of abuse in South Africa. Gender experts say there are many reasons for this violence such as social and cultural factors which influence social upbringing.
Unisa PhD student, Amani Olubanjo Buntu who investigated rape, with specific focus on the role of African men for his master’s studies, spoke to eConnect on this issue. He recently received a Graduate Excellence Award in the College of Education for his master’s thesis, Rape, rage and culture: African men and cultural conditions for justification of, and sanctions against rape. As a social entrepreneur, and founder of Ebukhosini Solutions, Buntu says his interest was to investigate how rape has become so prevalent in a country with indigenous cultures that used to have a very high sense of morality, respectful behaviour and family orientation. He also felt that the national discourse on rape in South Africa rarely asks “why do African men rape?”
“The objective was not to justify rape, but identify clues which, in turn, can help to prevent the spread of sexual violence. The reason I chose for it to be a cultural inquiry was to investigate how rape is understood, justified and sanctioned in African societies–with the objective of locating the discussion in a solution-oriented approach with specific focus on African customs, realities and aspirations. I wanted to interrogate African culture in light of both political realities, history and social norms as they relate to notions of Black masculinity. African problems have often been studied and explained through the lens of an outside view–this study was motivated by employing an inside view.”
African masculinities : Buntu says that rape in South Africa occurs because of the prevalence of violence as part of society’s social fabric. The country’s long history of social injustices and political oppression has also created distorted masculinities, deprivation of authentic manhood, and confusion over gender roles. “There is a general climate of perpetual anger and resentment, stemming from repeated experiences of invalidation, powerlessness and poverty. This climate has made experiences of abuse, violation, disrespect, force, intimidation and coercing part of everyday life to the majority of South Africans. Men who have been abused themselves are likely to abuse others and some men believe they have the right to control and abuse women. Confusion about cultural identity has resulted in constructs where tradition is sometimes used to justify violence and the experience of violation is reduced to a private and unquestionable sphere.”
When trying to understand what constitutes African manhood, Buntu found the conflict between how African masculinity is perceived and experienced, in addition to the collective experience of enslavement, colonialism, apartheid and imperialism have affected notions of African masculinities and weakened the cultural institutions that traditionally would be responsible for teaching positive manhood.
Rage and culture : Both in terms of racial stereotypes and the experience of violent oppression historically, African men have had to confront rage on many levels. The many layers of historical injustices, economic disparities, lack of access to influence, a corrupted sense of identity, inability to live up to expectations and the multitude of negative sentiments against African men create a psycho-emotional state of extreme anger, says Buntu. “An anger that men are expected to overcome, under-communicate and get passed.”
Buntu adds that Eurocentric scholarship has objectified African culture, affecting African men and creating cultural illiteracy where men either become estranged from their traditions or infuse foreign concepts into old practices. “The study showed that many African men desire to have a strong cultural identity, but struggle to navigate between cultural marginalisation and pressure to become westernised. The many conflicting value-systems that co-exist in Africa create confusion and hopelessness; this situation delays and complicates processes for collective, practical responses to socioeconomic problems and, by extension, issues of violence and rape.”
Finding solutions : The confusion surrounding failing masculinities, the invalidated rage and the cultural alienation experienced by African men hold important clues to a better understanding of why rape occurs in Africa, says Buntu. “Rape is a huge problem in South Africa and the continent, which, due to its complexity, leaves both researchers and the general population despondent as to what should be done to fully resolve it. It is linked to a multitude of causes and effects and its resolve cannot be located in a one-dimensional approach. Solving rape is a community responsibility and must be taken seriously by all, including acknowledging that men may also be raped.”
Buntu’s study suggests a few recommendations such as innovative research, broadening the position of cultural institutions, empowering families and communities, and implementing strategies for developing grounded and relevant African masculinities. “A radical and transdisciplinary approach is essential if we are to stop rape. Many of the social ills plaguing African communities, including rape, are manifestations of global power imbalances. Therefore, without addressing the wider imbalances and radically redressing these imbalances, the many streams of exploitative power that lead to rape will not cease. It is essential that the work against violence and rape continue, and that this work be motivated by a firm belief in the possibility of culture assisting in forging new and sustainable realities where men and women work together for balance and not in oppositional attempts to dominate the other.”
/Rivonia Naidu-Hoffmeester
..........................................................................................................................................................
Show that you care. Show it by liking, sharing, tweeting and saying something, plz. Invite/ suggest us to your friends to like our pages. Thank you. U rock!
http://www.facebook.com/bonaafrica | htts://www.facebook.com/botswanainfo