Thesis (MA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2007. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The issue of rape in South Africa has been widely documented and debated in the form of academic, legal, governmental and media reports. The statistics that inform us both of the incidence of rape and the number of women who report rape to the police have been vehemently contested. Secondary victimization of rape survivors by police, medical and legal officials, has been reported internationally in studies conducted in the United Kingdom, the United States and South Africa. The present study explored 16 women’s experiences of reporting rape to the police in historically disadvantaged communities. Qualitative semi-structured interviews were aimed at eliciting information about the nature of their experiences with the police and how their complaints were responded to and dealt with by police personnel. Six categories and 18 themes emerged out of a grounded theory analysis performed on the data. All of the participants were reportedly dissatisfied with the manner in which they were treated or the way in which their cases were handled by the South African Police Service (SAPS). The results implied the existence of rape myths in police official’s attitudes towards rape survivors, and the need to create awareness around the rights of rape survivors who report rape to the police, as well as to educate police officers with regards to the sensitivity of the issue of rape. Keywords: rape myths; secondary victimization; police; survivors; criminal justice system; feminism; gender relations; rape in South Africa. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die onderwerp van verkragting in Suid-Afrika is deuglik debateer en dokumenteer deur middel van akademiese, wetlike, regeering en media verslagte. Die statistieke wat ons in kennis stel van die aantal insidente van verkragtings en die aantal vrouens wat verkragting reporteer is gedurig in ‘n vurige en teenstrydige toestand. Sekondêre viktimisering van verkragting oorlewendes deur die polisie, mediese en wetlike amptenare, is geraporteer op internasionale vlak in studies wat gedoen is in die Verenigde Koningkryk, die Verenigde State en Suid-Afrika. Hierdie studie dek die ervarings van 16 vrouens, vanuit historiese agtergeblewe gemeenskappe, se raportering van verkragting aan die polisie. Kwalitatiewe semi-gestruktureerde onderhoude is gemik daarop om inligting tot die lig te bring oor die natuur van hul ervaringe met die polisie, hoe daar op hul aanklagte reaggeer is en hoe die polisie dit hanteer het. Ses katogorieë en 18 temas was die resultaat vanuit ‘n gegronde teorie analisie wat gedoen is op die data. Al die vrouens was ongelukkig met die manier waarop hul beweerde behandeling, of oor hul sake hanteer was deur die Suid-Afrikaanse Polisie Diens (SAPD). Die resultate het gewys op die bestaan van verkragtingsmites in polisie amptenare se houding teenoor die verkragting oorlewendes, en die behoefte om ‘n bewustheid te skep oor die regte van verkraging oorlewendes wat verkragting raporteer aan die polisie, as ook om polisie offisiere te onderrig ten opsigte van sensitiwiteit teenoor die saak van verkragting. Sleutelwoorde: verkragtingsmites; sekondêre viktimisasie; polisie; oorlewendes; kriminele justisie sisteem; feminisme; geslagsverhoudings; verkragting in Suid- Afrika.

Dissertation / The impact of stranger rape on the victim and those close to the victim is widely researched. However, little data is available on couples’ experiences of stranger rape and their relationships in the aftermath of such trauma. The researcher aimed to explore and gain an in-depth understanding of the unique experiences and relationship dynamics of couples dealing with stranger rape in order to enhance what is known about these couples. A qualitative research methodology was employed which consisted of conducting unstructured in-depth interviews with each of the three participant couples as well as obtaining individual written reflections from each participant. The study explicated unique descriptions of each couple’s experience of stranger rape, illuminated the interconnectedness and recursiveness between the rape and the couples’ relational and system dynamics and identified possible systemic effects at play in these couples’ relationships in the aftermath of such trauma. Key terms: stranger rape, couples, post-traumatic stress disorder, relational dynamics, systems, family systems theory, qualitative research, hermeneutics, social constructionism, postmodernism / Psychology / M.A. (Clinical Psychology)

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to explore factors contributing to poor reporting of rape by school going adolescents. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among the 16-19 year old school going adolescents in grade 10-12 living in Matsulu Township of South Africa. Data collection was done using audio-taped semi-structured focus group discussions and individual interviews. Non-probability sampling was utilised for the study and purposive sampling was used to identify participants. Content analysis as proposed by Polit and Beck (2012:557) was utilised for this study. The study’s findings indicated that non-reporting of rape by adolescents is linked to structural, psychological, socio-cultural and economic causes. The study recommends that a comprehensive integrated approach should be used. / Health Studies / M. A. (Nursing Science)

Text in English / The purpose of this study was to explore factors contributing to poor reporting of rape by school going adolescents. A qualitative descriptive study was conducted among the 16-19 year old school going adolescents in grade 10-12 living in Matsulu Township of South Africa. Data collection was done using audio-taped semi-structured focus group discussions and individual interviews. Non-probability sampling was utilised for the study and purposive sampling was used to identify participants. Content analysis as proposed by Polit and Beck (2012:557) was utilised for this study. The study’s findings indicated that non-reporting of rape by adolescents is linked to structural, psychological, socio-cultural and economic causes. The study recommends that a comprehensive integrated approach should be used. / Nursing Science / M. A. (Nursing Science)

Department of Criminal Justice / See the attached abstract below

In an attempt to find more information on the developing of an offender profile through docket analysis, the researcher utilised sources available in the Greater George area, as well as national and international material. The initial idea was to test the general knowledge of the concept “offender” profiling locally, in order to research and later suggest how such a profile of a rape offender could be developed through docket analysis. To establish this, it was important to indicate how offender profiling forms part of the objectives of investigation of crime. The objective – the individualisation of crime – was directly linked to profiling, as it suggests that the crime is an act of a particular person or persons. At the heart of the concept “profiling”, it is suggested that the trademarks of the offender can be deduced by carefully and painstakingly examining the characteristics of the offence. This information can, at a later stage, predict the most likely offender who could have committed the offence. When the odds are against one in the investigation of crime – more specifically, a rape case – the concept and goals of offender profiling should most definitely be considered as a key aid. / Police practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

Thesis (MA) -- Stellenbosch University, 1995. / Includes bibliography / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: This study investigates womens' perceptions of social power, as illustrated by their experiences of rape. In the first chapter the principles of subjective feminist research are analyzed against the background of feminist critique on so-called objective science. This introduction also discusses the feminist research methodology used in the study. This is followed by an examination of mainstream political science's conception of "power". How mainstream political scientists conceptualise "power", how they define "the exercise of power". Analyses of the feminist critique against the mainstream conception of "power" are discussed. The account of Foucault's ideas on "power" is, to some degree, a link between mainstream political science's views and feminists views. An examination of patriarchy, the three main dichotomies present in our society that determine female/male relations and gendered sexuality follows. It is against the aforementioned background that the literature study moves into a practical research stage. The next chapter analyses womens' conceptions and experiences of "power" relations by looking at the feminist theory of rape. This is followed by an analysis of the research data and a discussion of the popular rape myths in our society. A historical overview and analysis of the current rape law is then given, while the last chapter examines a feminist alternative conception of "power"relations by re-visiting "power" and by providing a feminist vision of women-power. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Hierdie studie ondersoek vrouens se persepsies van sosiale mag soos geïllustreer deur hulle ervarings van verkragting. In die eerste hoofstuk word die beginsels van subjektiewe feministiese navorsing geanaliseer teen die agtergrond van die feministiese kritiek teen sogenaamde objektiewe wetenskap. Dit verskaf 'n bespreking van die feministiese navorsingsmetodologie wat in die studie gebruik is. In die daaropvolgende hoofstuk word hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se konsepsie van "mag" ondersoek deur te kyk na hoe hoofstroom politieke wetenskap "mag" konseptualiseer, hoe dit "die uitoefening van mag" definieer en deur die analise van feministiese kritiek teen hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se konsepsie van "mag". Die opsomming van Faucault se idees oor "mag" is in sommige opsigte 'n skakel tussen hoofstroom politieke wetenskap se sieninge en die van feministe. 'n Ondersoek na patriargie, die drie belangrikste tweeledighede ("dichotomies") in ons samelewing wat die verhoudings tussen vrouens en mans bepaal en geslagtelike seksualiteit ("gendered sexuality") volg. Dit is teen die agtergrond van die voorafgaande dat die literatuurstudie gevolg word deur 'n praktiese navorsingsfase. Daar volg'In analise van vrouens se konsepsies en ondervindings van "magsverhoudinge" deur eerstens na die feministiese teorie van verkragting te kyk. Hierna volg 'n analise van die navorsingsdata en In bespreking van populêre verkragtingsmites in ons samelewing. In aansluiting by bogenoemde volg 'n historiese oorsig en analise van die huidige verkragtingswet en vrouens se ervarings daarvan. Laastens volg 'n feministiese alternatiewe konsepsie van "magsverhoudinge" deur 'n her-analise van "mag" voor te stel en deur 'n feministiese visie van vroue-mag ("women-power") te verskaf.

In an attempt to find more information on the developing of an offender profile through docket analysis, the researcher utilised sources available in the Greater George area, as well as national and international material. The initial idea was to test the general knowledge of the concept “offender” profiling locally, in order to research and later suggest how such a profile of a rape offender could be developed through docket analysis. To establish this, it was important to indicate how offender profiling forms part of the objectives of investigation of crime. The objective – the individualisation of crime – was directly linked to profiling, as it suggests that the crime is an act of a particular person or persons. At the heart of the concept “profiling”, it is suggested that the trademarks of the offender can be deduced by carefully and painstakingly examining the characteristics of the offence. This information can, at a later stage, predict the most likely offender who could have committed the offence. When the odds are against one in the investigation of crime – more specifically, a rape case – the concept and goals of offender profiling should most definitely be considered as a key aid. / Police practice / M. Tech. (Forensic Investigation)

This thesis analyzes rape coverage in a Grahamstown newspaper, Grocott’s Mail. Critical discourse analysis is used to discuss and analyze articles about rape that appear in Grocott’s Mail between October 14th 2008 and October 29th 2009. Drawing on existing literature on ‘rape myths’ in media coverage of rape, this thesis argues that Grocott’s Mail perpetuates racial and gender stereotypes through the way in which it reports on rape. While not all of the articles included in the analysis use rape myths, most use one or more when discussing rape incidents. Specifically, Grocott’s Mail tends to use rape myths that blame the victim for the rape and de-emphasize the role of the perpetrator in the rape. This is problematic as it sustains existing racial and gender inequalities.

In this minithesis I conduct a critical discourse analysis to take on a double-pronged task. On the one hand I explore the social phenomenon of the contestation between supporters of then-ANC deputy president Jacob Zuma and supporters of his rape accuser. The trial, which took place in the Johannesburg High Court between mid-February and early May 2006, stirred intense public interest, both locally and internationally. The performance of thousands of Zuma’s supporters and a far smaller number of gender rights lobby groups, both of whom kept a presence outside the court building throughout the trial, received similar attention. Second, I examine how the Sowetan, a national daily tabloid with a black, middle-class readership, mediated the trial through pictures of the theatre outside the court and letters to the editor. The study is informed by post-Marxist and cultural studies perspectives, both approaches that are concerned with issues of power, ideology and the circulation of meaning within specific sociocultural contexts. A rudimentary thematic content analysis draws out some of the main themes from the material, while the critical discourse analysis is located within a theoretical framework based on concepts from Laclau & Mouffe’s theory of meaning, which assumes a power struggle between contesting positions seeking to invalidate one another and to either challenge or support existing hegemonies. This is further informed by, first, Laclau’s theorisation of populism, which assumes that diverse groupings can unite under a demagogue’s banner in shared antagonism towards existing power, and second, by concepts from Mamdani’s theorisation of power and resistance in colonial and post-colonial Africa, which explicates three overarching ideological discourses of human rights, social justice and traditional ethnic practices. The study, then, explores how these three discourses were operationalised by the localised contestations over the trial.