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Contextualizing group rape in post-apartheid South Africa
1Thomas Coram Research Unit, Institute of Education, University of London, UK. k.wood@ioe.ac.uk
Culture, Health & Sexuality
|July 26, 2006
Summary
This study examines "streamlining," a form of collective male sexual coercion in South Africa. It explores how gender, subculture, and socio-economic factors contribute to this sexual violence phenomenon.
Area of Science:
- Sociology
- Anthropology
- Criminology
Background:
- Collective male sexual violence is a significant issue within the broader context of sexual coercion in South Africa.
- Existing anthropological literature provides a foundation for understanding group sexual violence, but local nuances require further exploration.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze "streamlining," a local term for collective male sexual coercion involving peer groups of men and women.
- To provide a multi-layered contextualization of this phenomenon within a specific urban township in South Africa.
Main Methods:
- Long-term ethnographic research, including intensive participant observation and interviews.
- Focus on narratives from young men within the studied community.
Main Results:
- Identified "streamlining" as a prevalent form of collective sexual coercion.
- Explored various scenarios of group sexual violence within the field site.
Conclusions:
- "Streamlining" is influenced by prevailing gender discourses, urban subcultures (tsotsi phenomenon), and the rural practice of ukuthwala (bride capture).
- Young working-class Africans' experiences of marginalization and the political economy are complexly linked to this form of violence.
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