Rape of South African Teenager Anene Booysen Is So Horrific The World Must Take Notice

Feb 9th, in Editorial Staff, News, Politics, by Jamila Akil

Seventeen-year-old Anene Booysen was found at a construction site after she had been so viciously raped and mutilated that the scene where her body was found resembled a horror movie.

Author : Jamila Akil

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Seventeen year old Anene Booysen was found at a construction site after she had been so viciously raped and mutilated that the scene where her body was found resembled a horror movie.

Anene had been left for dead after being gang raped. Booysen had been cut open from her stomach to her genitals–at least one of her attackers then reached inside of her abdomen and withdrew her intestines, replacing them with shards of a broken glass bottle. When Anene was discovered at the construction site, her intestines had been strewn about her body and were covered in sand. According to her foster mother, Corlia Oliveier, all of Booysen’s fingers had been broken as well as both of her legs. Anene’s throat had also been cut.

Ms. Booysen eventually succumbed to her injuries and died shortly before 10PM, some time after being able to identify at least one of her attackers–a man who had allegedly been an boyfriend and childhood friend. Two other men were later arrested and all are set to be arraigned within the coming week.

As horrible as the rape and murder of Anene Booysen may sound, it is just the latest of the all-too-common crime of rape in South Africa, a country with the highest incidence of reported rape in the world. The latest rape trend in South Africa involves the elderly: An 82 year old and a 73 year old were attacked on January 2nd, 2013. Rape of elderly women, mainly in rural communities, has been on the rise.

Sexual assaults of women and girls have become so common as to become almost pase in South Africa, but this time, President Jacob Zuma says things will be handled differently and that Anene’s case will be the start of a national conversation on how to stop the rape in that country. Zuma described the crime as “shocking” and “inhumane.” “Impose the harshest sentences on such crimes, as part of a concerted campaign to end this scourge in our society,” he said.

Let’s hope that this time–this rape–the outcry both in South Africa and abroad will be so great that Zuma is forced to keep his word: “It has no place in our country. We must never allow ourselves to get used to these acts of base criminality to our women and children.”

“Brutal Western Cape Gang Rape Forces South Africa To Examine Gender Violence Epidemic” [Jezebel]
Image via Times Live
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Jamila Akil is a Senior Editor at Beyond Black and White. Follow her on Twitter @jamilaakil

Missie 25 pts

"No one is more traumatized than me" is an expression of my trauma in defense of some other commenter saying I don't care. I didn't think I needed to qualify that the family or the town or South African women are more traumatized. The nation is traumatized and you know nothing about me Katie. I find your comments negative and futile. I don't need your advice on how to raise millions and run a nonprofit Nd how I should or shouldn't feel. Are you even South African?

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openeyes 5 pts

an eye for an eye i say...

knockoutchick 120 pts

Further, I believe men commit these crimes because they can. They are stronger and physically they can overpower women. It is simply the law of nature. The only reason we do not have more rape here in America is that there is a social price to pay. If there weren't police and a legal system in place to exact harsh sentences, there would be many more crimes against women, especially in black and brown communities. When people make comments about how "tough" BW are supposed to be, I always remind people look at what women of color have to deal with.

The brutal rape of women of color is common throughout the diaspora. But the horrific violence shown towards women seems to be escalating. Maybe that is not the case and there have always been violent rapes and the difference is today we have global news agencies that spread news in seconds. Yet I do not believe the disembowelment, hacking off of limbs and piercing the body with weapons or foreign objects was commonly happening 20 years ago.

It was said that the teenage boy involved in the Delhi rape case was the one placed his hand inside her body through her torn vaginal cavity and pulled out her intestines. The men were said to be angry that she fought back and cursed them. The Indian 17 year old will be tried as a juvenile and most likely walk free in a short period, no doubt to continue to enact violence towards women. As with the SA girl authorities know who committed this act as the Indian victim too described these details as she lay dying in hospital.

Indian women have taken to purchasing arms and those who fall victim to rape often just kill themselves as they know they will not receive help from their communities.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/16/india-rape-victim-suicide_n_2490020.html

In the Congo, rebels have taken to rape as a form of psychological warfare. For if you can rape and brutalize the other sides women and children, you yourself are still alive and have caused more emotional turmoil that lasts for years. So you can say the men themselves fight their war on the bodies and backs of women and girls as young as 4 years old.

http://world.time.com/2012/11/30/congos-mamas-and-their-campaign-against-wartime-rape/

The question I have is who are the mothers of these men who commit these crimes? Is it that the women are so powerless the boys as soon as they come of age disregard them?

Did the 17 year old Indian boy return home and hug his mother the night of this horrific crime?

kia 2277 pts

I'm getting tired of hearing what 'We' need to do. 'We' meaning black women. Yes, black women need to stop associating and producing kids with these wild feral black men that torture and kill black women. But the men are the only ones who can teach boys how to be men and to not harm women. Women can not teach a boy how to be a man. The only only thing I'm doing is teaching black women to stay away from these types of black men. And to not produce babies with them. Many black women have been raising black kids alone for centuries. Without proper black male role models in their communities. And its clearly not working. Most black men have now become mysoginists because they have been abandoned by their fathers.

The black men that don't glorify hip hop culture or mooch off black women - Are not policing black men's behavior or protecting black women. If black women refuse to look at other races of men outside their community. And keep associating and producing kids with black men of questionable backgrounds who have never had proper male role models in their lives - With male friends in similar situations. They will continually be subjected to these type of crimes. FYI - The black men that harm black women don't do this with other races of women. They mainly stick to black women. Because they know the men from other communities would not have these feral black men harming the women in their communities.

Katie212 11 pts

How does a human being even think of such a thing, much less do such a thing, as those who mutilated this young girl? The word "mutilation" even seems toooo mild to describe what they did!! That three men were involved in this, and yet not ONE of them tried to stop it? The rape is attrocious enough, but add the disembowelling and breaking of bones to it --- this is not something I can even wrap my mind around! I struggle to think of these men as humans. There is no place in society in which they fit.

Kiera 48 pts

What bothers me is that people would try and make excuses for the misbegotten "humans" (who are not even) who committed this crime. I can't wrap my head around WHY someone would do this to someone. Why would you rip someone's stomach open and rape them... I guess I am too naive. :-( My heart goes out to this girl and the Indian girl who died a short while back from the same reasons. Sometimes I truly don't know if this human race is making progress..

@Kiera Nobody is making excuses for these men but let's think of solutions! You can't be effective if you're affected.

Missie Kiera I said people were making excuses for the men because someone mentioned that other people were saying, "well she shouldn't have been in this place at this time..." or "she must have done whatever for this to happen"... It's somewhere in the comment section, I don't much feel like sifting through the comments to find who mentioned it. What did you mean by your last sentence? I am curious, hope that doesn't read as rude. Honestly the only solution I can think of is for other men to stand up and actually speak up about rape issues and violence against women. We as women can only do but so much, it's just time men participated more. You mentioned a charity, and that's a splendid idea. Just wish I had more resources to go through with such an idea.

Kiera Was not being rude at all! You are already doing something by expressing your outrage and disgust here! The last sentence was a call to everyone and not just you. I'm trying (but it's indescribably difficult) to be less effected (emotionally impacted) and more affective (action!). And yes, I am fortunate to have the time and resources to launch a charity. The only way I can live with this is by infusing darkness with light and evil with beauty. I am determined to make sure that Anene is SA's tipping point because until we attack the scourge, we are all victims of rape -- living in fear and traumatized by cases like this.

And I agree, there are NO EXCUSES for this heinous crime. I remember the guy talking about "contributing factors" -- to hell with that! I think I told him that the worst thing that should happen to an underage teenage girl in a tavern is a hangover the next day! And you are absolutely right, we can't do this without men. Men are part of the solution.

CrackpotPatriot 6 pts

Well, I just saw all my dreams of ever visiting Africa go right down the tubes after reading this. I have been through several difficult and controlling relationships, but I can say with conviction that after reading about the New Delhi victim and now this young woman, that I will never never never allow myself to not use my rights again when women in other areas of the world are dealing with this.

B.F.A.A.D. BlackFemaleAllianceAgainstDefamation 189 pts

CrackpotPatriot AFRICA is NOT a single place. This also takes place in the US. Read up a bit more on 'Africa' :)

Yes, rapes occur in the USA. But the disemboweling and breaking of bones? I've NEVER heard of happening here, and pray I never do!

LorraineNation 6 pts

Katie212 I guess Katie you ARE naive. I hear about it all the time. I'm a military wife and one of my neighbors sliced his wife's face to pieces.

Toni_M 20030 pts moderator

Katie212 Oh it happens, it just doesn't make the 11 o'clock news. I'd STILL be unaware of that poor mentally disabled teen who was brutally ganged rape if I hadn't heard it through this community.

The cold truth is that things like this, unless "extreme" by news source standards often goes unreported, especially where the victims are women of color.

PULEEEEZ! ALL THE TIME??!! I think NOT!! Cutting a face up is quite diffrent from disemboweling and breaking bones of the disemboweled. No, I'm not naive. I know horrendous things happen in the States. But this is beyond the pale. Please put in some links to articles reporting such disembowelings in the States. Otherwise, I think you're just trying to do a rooster's crow on knowing about horrendous crimes. Unless you are stationed in India, South Africa or other Third World country, "all the time" doesn't happen! Heck, it doesn't happen "all the time" in Third World countries either!

AminahMatthews 603 pts

CrackpotPatriot I don't think YOU -or any women like YOU- have anything to worry about. You NEVER hear about ww getting this kind of treatment from black African men. They always do things like this to their own kind sad to say....and yes, I said it....because its the truth. All hell would break loose if that happen.

EnJay 907 pts

CrackpotPatriot Which part of Africa? The entire continent?

I've been having a hard time with the sheer scope of SA's rape pandemic and the unspeakable brutality of this case...but I really feel that educating young boys to treat women with respect and to give them a REASON NOT to rape -- a REASON to feel valued -- will help curb this crisis.We need to try reduce rapes through preventative education programs. Boys who learn that rape is unacceptable, at school, from a young age, are more likely to become fathers who teach their sons to respect women and that son will teach his son and so break the systemic culture of rape... Imagine if a Jay-Z told impressionable, hopeless SA youth that rape sucks and women are awesome...there are no strong male role models in SA! We need THE MEN to come out, speak out and let it be known how F*CKED UP rape is! Perpetrators are mostly poor, bored, frustrated, angry, uneducated, unloved, drug addicted, abused (many of them), lost boys with nothing better to do than take their anger out on a woman. I believe that the rape pandemic is a cry for help from SA's neglected youth. Rapist and the raped, are all being raped by a country that's let them down. Rape is symptomatic of all that is broken in our country. We cannot look at it one-dimensionally. When our youth have nothing to lose (weak justice system) or live for (high unemployment), they have more reason to rape.

Give me a break! We should give them "a REASON NOT to rape?" How about this for a reason: If you rape, you will live the rest of your life in prison or be executed! Certainly the perpetrators have their problems, but to rationalize that because they have problems, society is at fault? All three of these men KNEW it was wrong! THAT should be deterent enough. There are many living with the same problems who do NOT rape. PLEASE don't give excuses for atrociously bad behavior! No matter what their circumstances, they MUST be held accountable!

Katie212 No one is more outraged or traumatized by this story--I've needed medication to sleep at night and therapy to deal with the horrors along with a lot of tears, screams and soul-searching. These beings do not fall under the realm of human. I am in no way referring to them, when I talk about anti-rape education. Scroll down and you will see my outrage and if you stay tuned you will hear about the charity I am launching in Anene's memory. If I had my way, her perpetrators would have a slow, public execution and bleed to death. When I provocatively say give men a "reason" not to rape--I am referring to those who can be saved--and not these parasites. I'm referring to young boys who have no leadership or moral guidance. If you don't know that stealing is bad, how will you stop? Statistics show that young boys do not think of rape as a criminal offense and worse yet, some believe that it's their male right and that girls enjoy it. The culture of rape is embedded in SA's DNA and only education can change it coupled with the deterrent of a tougher justice-system.

"No one is more outraged or traumatized by this story" than YOU??!! I'm sure it has had an affect on you, as it has affected many, if not all, of those who read it. BUT, I think her friends and family are more outraged and traumatized than you could be -- unless you are part of either of those groups. Overdramatizing your feelings here are not helpful. I'm sure you will do a lot of good by keeping this story on the front burner and using your resources to see that it is. I commend you for that. Just do NOT become a drama queen in doing so.

I question the statistics you talk of. It makes no sense that men would believe "girls enjoy it" when the girls are screaming in fear and pain. A culture of rape is not embedded in any country's DNA. Again, over-dramatization on your part. You will turn off supporters for the cause if you continue to use that type of tone in your communication.

Katie212 Missie

All rape is a terrible thing, but this is an extreme situation - I'm sure we can all agree on that.

In general, though, the situation is more nuanced, which is why we had the "No Means No" campaign - because sometimes no meant "no," and sometimes "no" meant "try a little harder, and I might say 'yes.'"

That can happen in a society where women are told that to be sexual is a bad thing, and men are measured by notches on their bedpost. You would end up with a lot of situations where the guy thought the woman was playing hard to get, and in reality, she really meant "NO." I am not talking about intentional rapists, I am talking about the "grey areas." This is why we need to educate boys to exercise self-control and to value other human beings (male and female), and stop giving the "boys will be boys" pass that excuses them from self-responsibility, because, after all - it's a man's nature to go out and smash, right?

This is the attitude that needs to change.

Katie212 I'll post the statistics after my morning coffee. Maybe SA needs more "drama queens" honey? Drama Queens who don't accept the status quo. But I hear your mock condescension. Your nit-picking here is not helpful. What are YOU doing?

Enjay, thank you for your reasonable and thoughtful comments. I totally agree: The "boys will be boys" attitude stinks! There seems to have been some "entitlement" attitudes in the past, also, from a few athletes that should, instead, be good role models for boys and young men. We will never know how many rapes have been prevented by the "No Means No" campaign, of course, but if it was only one, it was a success. In addition, it brought about a conversation about rape and some needed education along with the statement of society's expectations of civilized male behavior.

Missie, I've said nothing about accepting the "status quo". Please do not try to put words in my mouth. Apparently I hit some kind of nerve with you. You are certainly entitled to your opinions, as am I. I was in no way being condescending or "nit-picking". Perhaps you ARE so emotionally raw from hearing about, thinking about, and writing about the issue of rape that you've lost some objectivity. I can understand how that can happen.

As to what I'm doing in regard to this issue: Whatever it is, as with other causes I support and participate in, I prefer to participate anonimously with my time and treasure because it's NOT about me -- it's about the victims of the situations.

I would appreciate you not calling me a drama-queen when I am trying to do something to help, instead of living happily in my New York bubble. Your tone is very divisive and aggressive and full of point scoring, especially the "NOT" about me line. We need spokespeople and public activists as much as we need anonymous people like yourself on the ground. Women need to stand together now. Please try softening your tone. And yes, I am emotionally raw but that's not stopping me from flying to SA next month.

Missie, again I seem to have hit a nerve. My style of contributing is, obviously, quite different from yours. There's no good reason for you to take offense to my style. I did NOT attack you for your style. I, seriously, applaud your attempt to do something to help. However, I call a spade a spade, and I hear alot of drama in your writing. "Point scoring"? Who's keeping score? Certainly, not I!

Yes, I agree we need "spokespeople and public activists", but it is not just us women who need to stand together. THAT is an attitude that is devisive in that it leaves out the men who are as appalled by this type of behavior as we women are. If men see this as an issue of women vs. men, they will have little incentive to get involved, speak out, and present good role models for the boys and young men committing the rapes.

Hopefully your emotions will be less raw when you are "flying to SA next month". Overly emotional leaders are much less effective than those who can demonstrate objectivity. You will be working with some VERY emotional women and families. They need someone to help them organize efforts to educate and that CAN be you IF you are able to tone down your emotions which could be seen by some as being aggressive, and divisive -- if men are NOT included in the effort.

My best wishes to you in your efforts. I have no doubt that you are sincere.

I will NOT be responding to any more of your replies. I have committments to keep this week-end and intend to move on from this discussion.

Katie212 Again Katie, everyone on this site have agreed that these men should die a torturous death. No one is making excuses for them. We are talking about would-be racists with nothing to live for and nothing to lose. Try thinking laterally.

Missie, I do my best to think objectively. with purpose, always keeping the victims in mind. The topic of this board is NOT about "would-be rapists with nothing to live for and nothing to lose". It is about those who committed this atrocity, the victim, and how to prevent rapes in the so-called "rape capital of the world". To assume there are rapists who have "nothing to live for and nothing to lose" is making an unfounded assumption, unless, of course, you have statistics on those types of rapists. I'm not aware of any but would be happy to review the stats, if they exist. I humbly suggest that you try thinking objectively.

Katie212 POOR MEN WITH NO FUTURE ARE MORE LIKELY TO NOT GIVE A F*CK AND RAPE A WOMAN BECAUSE A.) THEY ARE BORED B.) THEY ARE POOR AND UNEMPLOYED C.) THERE IS NO DETERRANT D.) NO FATHER FIGURE OR STRONG LEADERSHIP CONDEMNING RAPE E.) NO CULTURAL STIGMA F.) NO EDUCATION G.) PERVASIVE ANGER, FRUSTRATION ETC ETC ETC! SA's high rape statistics are a symptom of poverty and a broken society with a thin veneer of civilization! It's not about lust, it's a sign of the times. Of course rapists need the harshest punishment but doesn't the 6 year old boy need an education that will empower him not to rape but to dream instead...of something grander than tik, unemployment, petty theft, porn, hip hop, anger and rape...I humbly suggest you think laterally.

Katie212 and i am NOT MAKING EXCUSES! Just laying out the situation, before you accuse me of saying that being poor is an excuse for a man to rape. Drama-Queen.

Missie, please get a grip!

You are attributing Western society's characteristics to SA. There is much more to their situation than you itemized. It includes decades of apartheid, the expectations of the society, etc. Unless you are a social scientist, you are probably not aware of the myriad of reasons/excuses for this bad behavior and other types of behavior that Western societies don't practice. Perhaps you can use this next month in study to better prepare you for the task you have set out for yourself.

Again, my best wishes for trying to help in this situation.

heyimPearlilikefries 2104 pts

This is too much. This is disgusting!!!

Joyce345 1751 pts

Was that Jacob Zuma commenting on a rape?

@Joyce345 Girrrl, yeah. *side-eye*

Remembering the man 'Toure' who has a white mother and black father. Also has a white girlfriend. Who said black women weren't raped during slavery because they used sex as a tool with white men. Remember we as black women must not support black men that are mysoginistic and who disrespect black women! Because this is how many black men think of black women today! These black men don't care about black women being raped and killed around the world! They only care about themselves! Ironically white men and other races of men are now more supportive towards black women than their own people are. Anyone else hear about this?

http://gawker.com/5482474/the-mysterious-case-of-toure-praising-raped-slaves-for-seducing-massa

http://www.jackandjillpolitics.com/2010/03/white-masters-black-slave-women-and-toures-tweets/

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WorldTravelingChic 717 pts

This is so ridiculously heartbreaking. How devastating for this girl and her family! I hope this makes the nation do more than just examine the gender violence epidemic. It's been going on too long! Changes must be made from the inside, from the bottom to the top and in all the spaces in between.

Oh, and don't even get me started on Jacob Zuma. o_O

May you rest in peace, Anene. Hopefully punishment will be swift and heavy for the perpetrators and this atrocity does not just fade from our memories.

Has anyone seen this video from Charlize Theron? She shot it in 1999.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5oZpuY97i_k&feature=player_embedded

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PoliticallyAware 84 pts

NicoleJB

I remember South African men being so insulted to be portrayed in that manner. If it walks like a duck...

This horrific crime is symptomatic of a brutalized, melting-pot of a SOCIETY. South Africa's scars run generations deep and much of the youth are victims of high unemployment, poverty, hopelessness, poor or no education, drug abuse, boredom and all kinds of socioeconomic, political, racial and cultural dysfunction and I am NO WAY AT ALL making ANY excuses for the beasts that brutalized Anene. They are beyond redemption and dead to me.

To curb South Africa's culture of rape, we need to do more than just put a BandAid on it. We need to find ways to heal AND CHANGE a society desensitized by violence, even apathetic toward it because that's the only way it knows to survive. IT IS NOT ACCEPTABLE. This awareness needs to be DRUMMED into the youth of today. Related school programs should be compulsory and I'd like to see courts that specialize in rape cases -- with the ability to fast-track cases, I want to see public figures condemn and SHUN and SHAME racists publicly. We need a complete overhaul of a culture that accepts rape and society that turns a blind eye. ACTION, ACTION, ACTION! CHANGE is the only way to honor Anene's memory. There is no evil without kindness and no darkness without light.

Missie This behavior can not be changed because it is human nature. The strong will always dominate the weak. The only thing that can stop it is if women themselves fight back and then the men will move on to weaker targets. All men who are poor or who feel powerless, struggle to survive eventually turn on those who are weaker which is generally the women and children in their communities. As we can see in Eastern European many men sell their women into slavery as a means of income today. Russian, Albanian gangs sell EE women to brothels in the West for as little as 5000 EU a girl.

san

Didi-it-have-to take this to realise that something needs to be done! with all due Mr president.. everything S.A is inhumane. what next. I feel sck to te pit of my stomach... is this what we want our kids to hear and c? do we want to be known as the rape capital of the world. No one deserves this in their life.

dani-BBW 1840 pts

How incredibly sad and disgusting. Prayers for the victim who is now free of pain. I saw a really good quote on twitter - I think from Dream Hampton - that societies MUST start socializing men against rape the same way we are socialized against cannibalism, to the point that the idea of raping someone is simply unfathomable.

jakethewrestler 459 pts

Sorry for the long blog but it was written with the blood of my tears Not long ago America was simpler but seperate Seperate by races One side black One side white Seperate by dreams of unity And Dreams of seperations No victories can be claimed Today the world is complex Inclusion is driven by necc not by ppl trying to find the sun But many of us are still stuck in the American black and white mode Still trying to mend our differences before moving on to others As we all grieve for Anene Booysen Many of use tried to put race and politcs aside Some blamed black, some blamed white, some blamed men and some blamed women Some blamed politics that is designed to meet the needs of groups with more clout and a Phil Donohue ideology that bleeds without priorites But one thing we all have in common is our love for Anene Booysen And we don’t want this to happen again

DWB 8788 pts

jakethewrestler You know, I can't disagree with you ... WELL PLAYED, SIR!!!!!!!

Skayi 574 pts

Those aren't men, they're aren't people. Just sick. What goes through a persons head when they do this.

SwirlQueen 1066 pts

I'm not usually at a loss for words....such evil and cruelty. I have known people capable of this and they were not in South Africa. They were right here in the good old US of A. But I do have girlfriends in South Africa and one said she can hardly go into her mother's neighborhood and is getting her mother out of that madness. An old lady there gets on immunity from sons of Satan and their crazed, evilness. That poor poor girl suffered before she left this world and they should getting an equal punishment. No mercy as they showed the victim none.