By Job Bulek, Juba, South Sudan
Saturday, June 20, 2020 (PW) — Rape is to force somebody to have sex against their will by threatening him/her using violence or intimidation. Rape is evil as defined by cultural aspects, religious, or civil laws of the land. It is only in Africa and South Sudan where you hear about gender-based violence or rape against women and girls as a weapon of greed fuelled a war. Rape victims have been crying for decades since liberation times, but the government chose to ignore or intimidate the rape victims to remain silent or face possible elimination.
Despite laws prohibiting this evil act, perpetrators are still at large hunting for the next victim to attack or kill. The laws enforcement agencies (Police, army & national security) are reluctant or do not have the ability to confront these evil people who are tarnishing the image of the nation. On the contrary, men in uniforms have been accused by citizens as the ones behind rampant rapes and killings attributed to unknown gunmen particularly in Juba and other major cities across the country.
Rape causes both physical and psychological harms to victims and has been interfering with their liberty in all shapes and forms. Women bear the burden of being either abused, harassed, or victimized by the society which is supposed to protect or listen to their grievances. Many women are unlikely to report cases of rape or harassment for the fear of the stigma, discrimination or break up a relationship for married women. Sadly, women have been blamed for wearing exposing clothing, for being drunk or going out in public without male guardians.
Interestingly, for the past few weeks, South Sudanese women and girls have been making it public for the first time how they have been living with traumas of rapes or harassment. Many of these women and girls have put on brave faces by exposing the names of abusers on social media in Australia, USA, Canada, East Africa, and South Sudan. I am not endorsing those exposed as rapists/paedophiles nor presuming them innocent but I am encouraging women and girls not just to expose the names but to report such cases to police or seek legal aid if not sure of procedures involved in a criminal cases such as rape, bullying or harassment.
After all, this is a right move at a right time, but this fight for reforms and recognition of women rights could be lost if those with hidden agenda are allowed to distract women’s cause by naming and shaming others as a pure retaliation for other societal issues than rape or harassment (this may constitute defamation). In social media, for instance, only the accused are named but the potential victims hide their names for some reasons. I do not see this as the only way to get rid of bad cultures in our societies and I will not be quick to conclude the fate of those accused until reported to police, taken to court or convicted for such claims.
There are women and girls with sincere reflections of what happened, especially ones abused by their relatives, family friends or those in the position of trusts such as teachers, police officers, religious leaders, politicians, military officers, or community elders.
Intimidating attitudes of men in South Sudan towards women have been increasing under the watch of the government of President Kiir and the SPLM party because of their soft stand to hold perpetrators accountable for their evil actions. Perpetrators are assumed to be males who dehumanize, devalue, or interfere with women autonomy in all communities of South Sudan.
Despite occurrences in rape cases in Juba and war-torn areas of Western Equatoria, Northern Bhar el ghazal and parts of Upper Nile. Government has been reluctant to find the perpetrators, enforce tight security or persecute whoever found interfering with safety or autonomy of women and girls. It is government’s role to reverse rape’s impacts and occurrences through severe punishment (possible Hanging if legalised) of rapists if caught or reported by the victims as requires by the laws.
With an increasing percentage of people living with STDs/STI or HIV/AIDS across the country, rape victims have high chances of contracting these diseases if not reported or treated on time. To avoid rape victims falling into such horrible situations, they should be given priority treatment for instance antiretrovirals to reduce chances of them contracting diseases and contraceptives to reduce unwanted rape pregnancies. Besides, counselling, and protected accommodations should be provided to rape victims by government and relevant humanitarian agencies with a clear reputation in girls and women’ welfare.
There is an urgent need to increase the availability of Psychiatrists, Social workers, Counsellors or Mental Health Nurses to help and support those affected by traumas attached to rape, harassment or mistreatment of girls and women across the country.
To eliminate this toxic culture of rape and sexual harassment of girls and women, sex education and awareness of human rights should be made compulsory to all upper primary and secondary school students in all States of South Sudan. For a change of hearts and minds towards bad culture to occur, chiefs and community elders should be onboard and allow them to participate in balancing cultural taboos with civil laws of the country.
Lastly, I support women and girls’ movement for reforms and recognition of their rights as entitled to them by law of land. However, change cannot be realised if women are not permitted and encouraged to participate in all institutions of the government including being nominated into a parliament.
The author, Job Bulek, is a South Sudanese Social & Community Health Activist, based in Juba, South Sudan and can be reached via his email contact: jobbulek@gmail.com