Report: 1 in 4 South African Men Are Rapists

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa (CNN) -- Alexandra township, north of Johannesburg, is a densely populated melting pot with some of South Africa's worst social ills. Poverty, unemployment, HIV/Aids and crime.

One of the most common crimes in Alexandra Township --- and throughout the country --- is rape.

A recent survey by the Medical Research Council of South Africa, a statutory government funded body, found that one in four South African men has raped at least one woman in their lifetime. And that nearly half have raped more than one woman.

Source

Huh well that is interesting. I wonder how accurate these things are, considering they are done by African officials. And is there anything being done to quell this sort of behaviour?

One of the men -- who CNN agreed not to name -- told us that he and three friends gang-raped a girl they met a party. Watch the men describe their attacks »

"With me it was not a problem," he said, "but when I went to the bathroom having to find the third guy busy with her it was like I had a problem because she was crying, she was not happy."

His friend added: "I would tell myself that there is nothing I want in life that I can't get, even a beautiful woman because when you try your luck with them, their response makes you feel like you are nothing. That's why we decide to do things like this, having sex with them forcefully."

The men we talked to have all spent time in jail but have never been convicted of rape.

Well I guess that answers my questions. Wow this is really shocking that they actually think this sort of things is ok, and that it's normal. There needs to be a change in that part of the world for the better. But it starts with education and food, something they lack very much.

Any thoughts ATS?

Edit To add:

According to the latest police statistics 36,190 women were raped between April and December 2007 -- more than 130 rapes a day.

But these were the reported cases. Human rights activists believe majority of rapes in South Africa go unreported.

~Keeper






[edit on 6/30/2009 by tothetenthpower]

goodluck having a safe world cup there next year.

This is horrible. Not only is this area high in AIDS, but also in rapes. So many women are not only getting raped, but also are at very high-risk for getting AIDS. Not only that, they may get pregnant and have an AIDS-infected child.

I don't know what can be done. As you say, education and food. We've known of the gaps in both for decades, yet the world is too slow to help out. The IMF has indebted these countries so much, they aren't likely to get any better for some time.

This is just horrible. I really don't know what else to say. I'm just so sickened by us all. Shame on the world for just turning a blind eye. It's articles like these, that give me a hard time living the illusion. Why do I deserve to be born in America? How do they deserve there environment? It's not like they choose it to begin with!

reply to post by unityemissions


Hopefuly the world will wake up soon and realize that we need to help these people instead of just throwing money at the problem like we have been doing.

~Keeper

When will God judge that part of the world i wonder, maybe he has or is waiting for change? The next FIFA World Cup is in South Africa, the players must be well guarded, I would not feel safe there.

help them how? this is not a world issue, worldwide rape is seen as evil, there seems to be a culture in south africa at the moment that condones rape, either that or the media is pushing the agenda.

last week there was a similar thread where we got some more detail about the reasoning these men use.

f you asked me: "What motivates so many men in South Africa to engage in un-consensual sex?" I would say that it is the machismo feelings and beliefs, coupled with patriarchal processes and tendencies.

source

clearly the issue isn't the help they need.

[edit on 1/7/09 by pieman]

reply to post by pieman


So sure? I think with a lack of basic needs, people go primal. Maybe it's the political, and economic circumstances which trickle down into social injustice and brutality as an end result.

Maybe not..

After reading the story it does seem to be, at least in part, a cultural phenomena.

[edit on 1-7-2009 by unityemissions]