Seventeen-year-old Anene Booysen, of Bredasdorp in the Southern Cape, South Africa, was gang raped and badly mutilated, later dying in hospital after identifying her rapists so that they could be brought to justice. Her mother, Corlia Olivier, recounted to the SABC the sight of her daughter after the attack: “My child almost looked purple. She was in such a bad state. All her fingers were broken, her legs were broken. Her stomach had been cut up, you could see her intestines. Her throat was also slit open.”
So many parallels with the woman, a physiotherapy intern, who died after a brutal gang rape in New Delhi, India, this past December.
What does it take to change a rape culture, to stop a rapist, all rapists? To create a society in which women can be free of that fear and danger?
Jay Naidoo in the Mail & Guardian, calling on men to respond and take action to stop sexual violence:
What we need is a massive campaign. Now. The number of victims mounts daily. The psychological and physical toll and economic costs are incalculable. We need our political leadership today. Words are not enough. Lead by your actions. You will find us citizens of South Africa willing to follow bold action to secure the human rights guaranteed by the Constitution. Women have to be equal partners in building the democracy we fought for.
We owe it to Anene Booysen.
This is really sad…it shouldn’t be this bad.
unbelievable and heartbreaking.
lost your blog feed somehow, i have re-upped in google reader.