Melanie Nathan – 8-24-10

I wrote an article here on Lez Get Real a few days ago;  August 21, 2010- and it received a wide net response.  The  offers of support  prompted me to send a letter the South African Consul General in the USA, based in New York City.    I believe there is another office in Los Angeles as well.

South Africa is known as the ‘Rape Capital’ of the world, with mind blowing statistics of around 500,000 rapes per year.   This is a human rights catastrophe  of untold proportion- with the HIV/AIDS ramification serving as the lethal weapon of mass destruction. Especially sinister is the flagrant finger flip to each and every victim, as the  entire world cheered metaphorically on,  aiding and abetting the somnolent  South African Government, akin to perpetrators, like an Oudtshoorn ostrich with its head deeply embedded in the sand, while women continued to be raped day after day, each hour

South African Consulate
Mada Consul
Fikile Magubane
New York

via E-Mail
August 22, 2010

Dear Madam Consul,

We are a widely read LGBT publication / news magazine here in the USA.  We have grave concerns about the treatment of women in South Africa,with special regard to the extremely high incidence of rape; and especially our lesbian sisters who seem to be subjected to the  insiduous and disregarded hate crime termed “corrective rape.”  Here is an article posted this weekend as a follow up to many written on this topic for our News Magazine.  http://lezgetreal.com/2010/08/shockphoto-as-lesbian-warrior-tells-of-yet-another-corrective-rape-victim/

I have been in direct contact with the local authorities in South Africa regarding some  of the reported atrocities – in some cases by victims directly to me here in the USA, noting - cases involving CT TECH  and other students who are afraid to report the rapes; for fear of of  repercussions,  in coming out as lesbians.

Authorities in South Africa have informed me that the South African Government has no direct initiative/s regarding the prevention/ education/ victim support of lesbian “corrective rape” cases and that it is not acknowledged at all as an incidence of hate crime.

I had a recent report of bail of a mere R60.00 granted to an accused rapist – who knew his victim personally.  The accused was caught in the act of the crime.  The victim is currently terrified for her life, without police protection.  This is the third time this victim has been raped for being a lesbian and is currently in the care of friends on suicide watch.  There is no medical treatment or help available to the victims for fear of further retaliation.

We find this to be shocking and  invite your comments on the subject as we plan on writing more reports about the victims and their needs.

Thank you for your kind attention to this very serious and complex issue.

Regards,