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Deconstructing the Afrocentric Context of Rape Culture in South Africa

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  21 October 2025

Sogo Angel Olofinbiyi*
Affiliation:
Department of Criminal Justice, School of Law, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
Vukosi Sambo
Affiliation:
Department of Criminal Justice, School of Law, University of Venda, Thohoyandou, South Africa
*
Corresponding author: Sogo Angel Olofinbiyi; Email: sogo.olofinbiyi@univen.ac.za

Abstract

Rape culture is reportedly widespread in South Africa. Marriage and cultural traditions, patriarchal ideology, indigenous knowledge and belief system as well as religious practices continue to underpin the phenomenon of rape culture in the region. This inquiry is idiographic using the conceptual analysis of the existing literature to interrogate the phenomenon. It adopts the radical feminist paradigm as a theoretical construct upon which our discussions are premised to question and deconstruct the culture of rape among the indigenous peoples of South Africa. Exemplarily, the cultural practice of “bare-breasted maiden dance festival” as well as objectification of the female body are quintessential of contributory factors to the culture of rape at various cultural institutions in the Republic. Although Africans idealistically strive to maintain marriages, unfortunately, the institution of marriage is also prone to abuse and coercion and often used as a tool of subjecting women to sexual exploitation and slavery. The research unearths a broad range of harmful and controversial cultural practices that undermine women’s sexual and reproductive rights. Moreover, it questions many aspects of South Africa’s indigenous knowledge and belief systems, as well as cultural traditions that have precipitated and maintained the construction of rape culture as a social norm.

Abstracto

Abstracto

Según se informa, la cultura de la violación está muy extendida en Sudáfrica. El matrimonio y las tradiciones culturales, la ideología patriarcal, el conocimiento y el sistema de creencias indígenas, así como las prácticas religiosas, siguen sustentando el fenómeno de la cultura de la violación en la región. Esta investigación, de carácter ideográfico, utiliza el análisis conceptual de la literatura existente para analizar el fenómeno. Adopta el paradigma feminista radical como construcción teórica sobre la que se basan nuestras discusiones para cuestionar y deconstruir la cultura de la violación entre los pueblos indígenas de Sudáfrica. Por ejemplo, la práctica cultural del “festival de la danza de las doncellas con los pechos desnudos”, así como la cosificación del cuerpo femenino, son factores esenciales que contribuyen a la cultura de la violación en diversas instituciones culturales de la República. Si bien los africanos se esfuerzan idealmente por mantener sus matrimonios, lamentablemente, la institución del matrimonio también es propensa al abuso y la coerción, y a menudo se utiliza como herramienta para someter a las mujeres a la explotación sexual y la esclavitud. La investigación revela una amplia gama de prácticas culturales nocivas y controvertidas que socavan los derechos sexuales y reproductivos de las mujeres. Además, cuestiona muchos aspectos de los conocimientos y sistemas de creencias indígenas de Sudáfrica, así como las tradiciones culturales que han propiciado y mantenido la construcción de la cultura de la violación como norma social.

Abstrait

Abstrait

La culture du viol serait répandue en Afrique du Sud. Le mariage et les traditions culturelles, l’idéologie patriarcale, les savoirs et systèmes de croyances autochtones, ainsi que les pratiques religieuses, continuent de sous-tendre ce phénomène dans la région. Cette enquête, de type idéographique, s’appuie sur l’analyse conceptuelle de la littérature existante pour interroger le phénomène. Elle adopte le paradigme féministe radical comme construction théorique sur laquelle nos discussions se fondent pour questionner et déconstruire la culture du viol chez les peuples autochtones d’Afrique du Sud. À titre d’exemple, la pratique culturelle du « festival de danse des jeunes filles seins nus » ainsi que l’objectification du corps féminin sont des facteurs essentiels contribuant à la culture du viol dans diverses institutions culturelles de la République. Bien que les Africains s’efforcent idéalement de préserver le mariage, malheureusement, l’institution du mariage est également sujette aux abus et à la coercition et souvent utilisée comme un outil pour soumettre les femmes à l’exploitation sexuelle et à l’esclavage. Cette recherche met au jour un large éventail de pratiques culturelles néfastes et controversées qui portent atteinte aux droits sexuels et reproductifs des femmes. De plus, il remet en question de nombreux aspects des systèmes de connaissances et de croyances autochtones d’Afrique du Sud, ainsi que des traditions culturelles qui ont précipité et maintenu la construction de la culture du viol comme norme sociale.

摘要

摘要

据报道,强奸文化在南非十分普遍。婚姻和文化传统、父权制意识形态、本土知识和信仰体系以及宗教习俗继续支撑着该地区的强奸文化现象。本研究使用现有文献的概念分析来探究这一现象,具有针对性。它采用激进的女权主义范式作为理论构建,我们的讨论以此为前提,质疑和解构南非土著人民的强奸文化。例如,“裸胸少女舞蹈节”的文化习俗以及对女性身体的物化是共和国各文化机构强奸文化的典型因素。尽管非洲人理想主义地努力维持婚姻,但不幸的是,婚姻制度也容易受到虐待和胁迫,并经常被用作对妇女进行性剥削和奴役的工具。这项研究揭示了一系列有害和有争议的文化习俗,这些习俗损害了妇女的性权利和生殖权利。此外,它还质疑了南非本土知识和信仰体系的许多方面,以及促成和维持强奸文化作为社会规范的文化传统。

ملخص

ملخص

تنتشر ثقافة الاغتصاب على نطاق واسع في جنوب أفريقيا. ولا تزال تقاليد الزواج والثقافة، والأيديولوجية الأبوية، والمعارف والمعتقدات المحلية، بالإضافة إلى الممارسات الدينية، تُشكل أساسًا لظاهرة الاغتصاب في المنطقة. يعتمد هذا البحث على التحليل المفاهيمي للأدبيات المتاحة لدراسة هذه الظاهرة. ويعتمد على النموذج النسوي الراديكالي كمفهوم نظري ترتكز عليه مناقشاتنا لتحليل ثقافة الاغتصاب بين الشعوب الأصلية في جنوب أفريقيا وتفكيكها. ومن الأمثلة على ذلك، الممارسة الثقافية لـ‘مهرجان رقصة العذارى عاريات الصدر’، فضلًا عن تشييد جسد الأنثى، والتي تُعدّ من العوامل الجوهرية المساهمة في ثقافة الاغتصاب في مختلف المؤسسات الثقافية في الجمهورية. ورغم سعي الأفارقة، بدافع المثالية، للحفاظ على الزواج، إلا أن مؤسسة الزواج، للأسف، معرضة أيضًا للإساءة والإكراه، وغالبًا ما تُستخدم كأداة لإخضاع المرأة للاستغلال الجنسي والاستعباد. ويكشف البحث عن مجموعة واسعة من الممارسات الثقافية الضارة والمثيرة للجدل التي تُقوّض الحقوق الجنسية والإنجابية للمرأة. علاوة على ذلك، يُشكك الكتاب في جوانب عديدة من أنظمة المعرفة والمعتقدات الأصلية في جنوب أفريقيا، بالإضافة إلى التقاليد الثقافية التي ساهمت في ترسيخ ثقافة الاغتصاب كقاعدة اجتماعية.

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© International Society of Criminology, 2025

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