Prison rape-survivors speak up for the first time

[Uncle88]

Posted: 13 Dec 2014 04:34 AM PST
South African Prison Rape Survivors Speak Out for the First Time December 13, 2014 Henri Le Riche -- "South African prisons are notorious the world-over for their endemic sexual abuse. -- Oscar Pistorious, Shrien Dewani, and other high profile accused have leveraged this fact in their efforts to avoid time behind bars. Despite this, prisoner rape is not well understood by South Africa's public, and is more likely to be joked about than receive the serious attention it urgently needs. Prisoners — as the 'face' of pervasive violent crime in South Africa — are told that they "deserve to be raped", and the public accepts prisoner rape as a norm. This hostility, the stigma attached to victims, and the lack of support provided by authorities, deter survivors from reporting rape. It causes the dismissal and rejection of those who do speak out, intensifying their trauma. Afrikaners, people of European decent are a small minority of 4 million, living under a black nationalist regime of 50 million. -- A government where minority rights, human rights, and hate crimes against them are denied by the government, media and left leaning human rights organisations. Now, three exceptionally brave men, two white and one black, have come forward to share their stories about surviving rape in South Africa's prisons. They want to bring it out of the shadows, and are demanding action. Vincent, Francois and Thabo are the first South African survivors of prisoner rape to tell their stories in this way: "Vincent* tells how he was raped by two gang members in an overcrowded cell in a Western Cape awaiting trial facility. This was his very first sexual experience. "Vincent asked for help from nurses, wardens, priests, social workers, and even a magistrate who all rejected him and told him to expect this treatment in prison. "He only received medical attention three years after he was raped when he was sentenced, and then learned he was HIV-positive as a result of the rape. "Vincent calls on the Department of Correctional Services to stop this from happening to others, and encourages survivors to speak up. After telling his story, Vincent feels stronger than before, and says "I know I have a purpose in this life." -- Francois was violently raped twice in an Eastern Cape correctional centre, once at knife-point, and on Valentine's Day he was raped a second time. "He reported the rapes to the warders, but never received counseling or support. In despair, Francois attempted suicide. "After being released, he sued the Department of Correctional Services, and after 10 years he accepted a settlement offer based on the promise that they would take action to stop inmates from being raped. When nothing changed, Francois decided to tell his story. Francois encourages other survivors to seek help and says "I know I can make it because I'm a survivor." MORE ON http://www.henrileriche.com/2014/12/13/south-african-prison-rape-survivors-speak-out-for-the-first-time/ READ MORE: South African jails are unsafe for whites – white businessman tells of daily racist gang-rapes http://www.henrileriche.com/2013/06/05/south-african-jails-are-unsafe-for-whites-white-businessman-tells-of-daily-racist-gang-rapes/ What is Black Privilege? http://www.henrileriche.com/2013/05/22/what-is-black-privilege/ Hate Crimes South Africa: Journalists not interested in human suffering, when not fitting their narrative on their own ideology http://www.henrileriche.com/2014/12/05/hate-crimes-south-africa-journalists-not-interested-in-human-suffering-when-not-fitting-their-narrative-on-marxist-ideology/ United Nations to investigate South Africa for 'genocide' http://www.henrileriche.com/2014/11/27/united-nations-to-investigate-south-africa-for-genocide/