'Corrective rape' in South Africa
Updated on 12 March 2009
Samira Ahmed has a special report on South Africa's horrific new hate crime: the "corrective rape" of women for being lesbians.
It is the self-styled "rainbow nation" that will be hosting football's World Cup in just over a year.
But since the end of apartheid South Africa has a darker claim to fame: it is the rape capital of the world.
A quarter of all women are raped by the time they are 16. And now there is a horrendous new phenomenon known as "corrective rape": targeting women because they are lesbians.
One of the most high-profile victims is Eudy Simelane. She was training to be the first female referee at the 2010 World cup when she was gang-raped and murdered.
From Johannesburg, Samira Ahmed has this special report. The subject matter is highly distressing.
Campaign against hate crime
Find out more about ActionAid's campaign against hate crime at www.actionaid.org.uk
Jody Kollapen interview
Samira Ahmed talks to Jody Kollapen, chair of the South African Human Rights Commission.
South Africa: grief over 'corrective rape'
"'What are you trying to say? Africa the dark continent? Everyone must be evil? Finding out all the men who rape lesbians?'
I could see his point."
Continue Samira Ahmed's blog
