Noxolo Nogwaza was found dead in the Kwa-Thema township on Sunday, believed to be the latest lesbian victim of murder and the “corrective rape” practice in South Africa.
Queerlife reports on the crime, which has been denounced by advocacy groups and some media. Nogwaza was 24 years old.
“Ms. Nogwaza was a member of the Ekurhuleni Pride Organising Committee (EPOC), the key LGBTI organisation in Kwa-Thema. The committee, along with the Coalition of African Lesbians (CAL) said that Ms Nogwaza’s face was so badly beaten that she was unrecognisable. Her body had been stabbed all over with glass shards and an empty bottle and used condom were also reportedly found in her genitals,” reported Queerlife.
In 2008, Eudy Simelane, a South African footballer and lesbian activist, was raped and murdered in Kwa-Thema. Last year, a gay man in the township was attacked by a group that attempted to rape him.
EPOC described the murder and rape as a hate crime and vowed to seek justice.
In an editorial, The New Age newspaper decried the practice of “corrective rape,” which seeks to “cure” lesbians. The editorial noted that the South African constitution provides for protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation.
“Research conducted in the Western Cape indicates that 86% of black lesbians live in fear of sexual assault because of the high prevalence of corrective rape in the area,” according to the editorial.
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