Will you protest outside court again in March [when Jacob Zuma will appear again on a charge of rape] or has last week’s experience unnerved you?
We have received permission from the court to hold a public gathering of 100 people on March 6. We have also met with Metro Police to speak about our experiences from February 13 and to plan for March 6. When we first met with the police [before the first protest], we were asked time and time again if we were not ”asking” for confrontation and if our presence there would not ”provoke” a response from the Zuma supporters. We replied that it was a matter of principle and of moral responsibility. For those of us working in the violence against women sector — particularly those who work closely with survivors of violence — the threat of violence or confrontation is a daily possibility.
Your grouping was small. Is the women’s movement big enough to arrange a protest on the same scale as that organised by the Friends of Jacob Zuma Trust? Does size count?
Each of the organisations present at the public gathering has a membership base of a few hundred and if one is to include the number of people assisted by them, it would be in the thousands.
Just as one cannot judge the number of rape survivors on reported cases, so one should not judge the extent of support for survivors of gender violence on the numbers present at the public gathering.
From inside the protest lines, tell us what the experience was like.
Some of the people standing within the ranks of the Zuma supporters threatened and attempted to intimidate us. Two men exiting the court building wearing Zuma T-shirts and leather jackets pointed at us and made threatening gestures at us. We were insulted and called names. When individuals left the demarcated area to get water, for instance, the interaction was more confrontational and threatening.
The behaviour of these individuals is unacceptable and transgresses the line between freedom of speech and hate speech.
Is it naïve to think that the friends of Jacob Zuma — all ostensibly African National Congress members — would have known better, given the ruling party’s policies on gender violence?
It is not about an ”ANC” response or a ”friends of Zuma” response or even a ”Zulu” response. It’s not about party politics, but about gender violence.For some supporters, it seemed the thought that their political leader may have committed an act of violence is impossible to comprehend. It seems that these policies and laws remain paper tigers and that many of the stereotypes and myths remain rooted in people’s minds.
What were protesters saying to the woman who has allegedly been raped?
I am not aware of comments being made directly to the complainant in this case because she was whisked into court. We only heard her being described by Zuma supporters themselves and the comments were not unlike those used to describe any woman who speaks out about sexual violence. She is ”disloyal”. She is blamed for making the accused’s life difficult. She is characterised as the perpetrator and he as the victim. In the context of an acquaintance rape case, she is additionally characterised as ”the woman scorned”.
You have said that this is the first time the South African public is exposed to the dark side of rape prosecution? What do you mean?
Despite the high level of rape in South Africa, only a small percentage of these cases reach the courts. No other case has received this much media attention in South Africa. Generally, rape cases are difficult and emotionally draining for all parties involved — but particularly for the survivor and her family — and justice is often not served. The laws governing sexual violence in South Africa make the court process particularly arduous for the survivor and conviction rates are extremely low.
In this case, because of who the accused is and because of his access to resources and public influence, it is likely that the case is that much more difficult for the complainant.
As a result of last week’s events, People Opposing Women Abuse is starting a ”One in Nine” campaign. Tell us about this.
The purpose of the One in Nine campaign is to ensure that the courage and action of the woman in this case is affirmed. There is a website www.oneinnine.org.za [One in nine women report rape, according to research.]
Individuals and organisations can get involved by sending messages of support to Powa. People who wish to support the campaign can wear a purple ribbon when the case is in court. Most importantly, when a woman finds the courage to speak out — support her.
Carrie Shelver is the training and public awareness manager for People Opposing Women Abuse