Did it have to take yet another brutal and senseless killing to get government and society to realise that South Africa is in crisis when it comes to sex crimes. The story of Bredasdorp teenager, Anene Booysen has made headlines across the world due to the extent of the girl's injuries which inevitably led to her untimely death. But, I could come across as heartless, was it untimely?
This, as the country's leaders had not done much regarding the incident in which three children were stoned to death by their peers, or that the body of a twelve year old girl was discovered badly decomposed on a field in some place called Parkwood, or better yet that a school girl in the Western Cape was gang raped on her way to school – I could carry on. So, actually did it have to take such a gruesome and horrendous act, for the country's leaders to realise that the “future” leaders of the country or better yet future voters of the country, may soon be dying out - literally.
After all, these crimes are being committed by various individuals and not just one person. Its become a common trend within South African society to read or hear headlines of yet another rape and murder. My question is – What is going to be done about this? Are the promises made and to be made going to materialise?
Commonly, the judicial system, does not do much justice when it comes to child murders, violent rape cases, and more basically sexual inequality crimes. In this country that is supposedly democratic, how do we, us females view those who are yet to journey through their womanhood?
What challenges would they have to be faced with. Not only is the the working world challenging enough at this stage but we now face the daily challenge of safety of ensuring that we live another day. The world is now comparing this tragedy to that of the Indian Gang rape incident, similar to this in which a medical student died also due to the extent of her injuries. Another question that comes to mind is – Is society, or more particularly younger men ( not all though), now thinking that the trend to disregard any female, child or human life, just something that could be shrugged off after serving your 25 year life sentence. After all, what's 25 years if you could get a presidential pardon, or better yet come out after ten years for good behaviour.
So my question is have such gruesome, heart wrenching incidents, like rape and murder become a societal norm in South Africa? As a parent, I honestly and sincerely hope that it is not so.
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