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You are here: Home >> Blog >> Blogs by Marie Fortune (retired) >> “Corrective Rape”? No, Hate Crime

“Corrective Rape”? No, Hate Crime

Oct 24, 2011 — Categories: , ,

“Corrective rape.” When I first heard this term, I stopped dead in my tracks. Having thought that I had heard it all when it came to violence against women, here was yet another perverse variation of rationale for sexual assault.

“Corrective rape.”  When I first heard this term, I stopped dead in my tracks.  Having thought that I had heard it all when it came to violence against women, here was yet another perverse variation of rationale for sexual assault.

My first question was:  ‘corrective of what?’  Then I was enlightened by the male logic and magical thinking that rape was corrective of lesbianism.  Really . . . . So let me see if I can comprehend this:  being beaten and raped by a gang of 20 men is supposed to convince a lesbian that she really does want to be with a man?

No, actually the message isn’t intended for her.  It is a message of terrorism and it is intended for all lesbians:  “You cannot choose to be who you are and experience life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.  We will not allow it.”  Why is it that when women choose to step away from men (regardless of our sexual orientations), that some men feel compelled to convince us that we do not have that choice?

The report of an increase in “corrective rape” in Capetown, South Africa, parallels the increase in bullying we are experiencing in high schools across the U.S.  “Corrective rape” is bullying on steroids.  The rape of women thought to be lesbians goes on here in the U.S. as well.  Now there is a “name” for it.  This name actually legitimizes sexual assault:  to correct is to fix a mistake or to punish which assumes that something is a mistake or is out of line.  So rape is a legitimate tool to correct lesbianism.

One would hope that this utter and total disregard for women’s autonomy and bodily integrity would shock the conscience of ordinary people and certainly of our faith communities.

So where are our faith communities?  In Capetown recently, faith leaders urged their colleagues to protect lesbians and gays and confront these hate crimes.  Sadly, the church’s homophobia prevents it from having much credibility in the face of these atrocities.  But once again, the church has a choice: to be part of the problem and the silence that contributes to these hate crimes, or part of the solution that challenges them and stands with the vulnerable against this injustice?

Our colleagues in Capetown have chosen to be part of the solution.  And we must do the same.  We can begin by refusing to allow the term “corrective rape” to be used to describe gender-based violence and hate crimes.

Rev. Dr. Marie M. Fortune
FaithTrust Institute
www.faithtrustinstitute.org

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"corrective rape"

Posted by Elaine Shaw, OP at Oct 27, 2011 01:27 PM
Thank you, Marie. Once again, you state situations clearly, objectively and help clarify my own attitude and position on these irrational, brutal violences which occur ever more frequently in the world.
Peace,
Elaine

Corrective Rape

Posted by Susan Clark Harris at Oct 27, 2011 01:27 PM
Right on, sister!! This is like the rapes of war in Bosnia - to use rape as a weapon against women, only in this case to keep them "in their place" in regards to heterosexual relations. The church needs to speak out about it, just as they are beginning to do with human trafficking.
Whether a community of faith supports a woman being a lesbian, it should still speak out against sexual assault being used to control a person.
But, since most people of faith are not faced by a known lesbian, they will not likely say anything....it doesn't apply to anyone they "know."