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Rape Against Lesbians Reward Perpetrators

7-6-2010  Melanie Nathan -

Soccer veils reality of South African poverty and homelessness – Grandstanding the Perpetrator while Victims are abused by a heartless system.

Melanie Nathan from San Francisco:-  Drawing attention to oneself is an act of courage and one that cannot be emphasized enough, especially if the victim is one whose rape is termed   “corrective rape” where the odds are ,that the victim could be re-victimized again and again. This term is used to describe what is truly a hate crime and slips unnoticed into the bigger picture of what also seems to be a disregard for the 500,000 rapes of  South African Township women each and every year.

Years ago, Lesbians would never have come forward to tell their stories, but now with the unrelenting support and loving assistance from an extraordinary human being, Ndumie Funda, a lesbian woman living in a South African Township, near Cape Town, women and lesbians are telling their stories, willing to be named, photographed and to stand up on our pages to say:- “This is what happened to me!”

Ndumie Funda ran a two room home for victims of ‘corrective’ rape through an unfunded non-profit, Luleke Sizwe  that has been named for the deceased partners of its founders, all who succumbed to AIDS related deaths, the merciless threat that this hate crime delivers its victims. Yesterday they were ALL evicted.

Each time there is a new victim, Ndumie shoots me an e-mail, here in the USA, and in some way I believe it helps her to know that maybe, just maybe if I publish their cry the world would hear. The question right now is “who is listening?

I woke up to this e-mail this morning -

“Meza, my sister, we are sleeping in the car because no money and we got evicted from the rooms. our furnisher is been keept by our neighbour. there’s lot of drama. we wish could get someone with good heart.al we need now is office space in a form of a house .house are available money to rest is what we need.i accomodate 6 gals plus me and partner so makes 8 people.i’m not giving up not matter what.”

This weekend we reported that Millie Gaika, the lesbian soccer player, raped in a third crime, will be testifying against her perpetrator after a date for trial is set on July 13th. The Perpetrator will receive a public defender and the best legal advice available. (Thanks to South Africa’s Bill of Rights!)  He will also remain in prison (he has yet to post bail) where he will be well treated, have a mattress and a bunk bed, a clean bathroom, and three decent meals a day.  If he does not feel well and aspirin doe not cut it, he will see a doctor. It is winter and it is cold. He will be warm enough too!

So as you hear the cheers and watch your TVs that much anticipated  World Cup Final, from whatever country for whichever team, remember you are cheering while the warm and comfortable perpetrator awaits trial in the comfort of his warm, albeit, prison shelter and the six victims of brutal rape huddle, freezing and hungry, with no money for medical help or food, sheltered in a vehicle, victim holding victim.

By Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com

http://lezgetreal.com/2010/04/corrective-rape-the-courage-of-south-african-lesbians/

http://lezgetreal.com/2010/07/sa-corrective-rape-accused-bail-set-at-68-00-as-soccer-masks-the-truth/

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