Along the way, he and his concubine are invited to take shelter in an old man’s home. Although the man seeks to protect his guest, the villagers demand that he turn the gentlemen out of doors so that they may have sexual relations with him. In a scene reminiscent of Sodom and Gomorrah, the old man has a better idea: why not make ill use of his virgin daughter and the man’s concubine? So, it is decided the concubine will feed the lust of the village men. When the men have had their fill of the concubine, she manages to drag her mangled body to the doorstep of the old man’s home, where she falls dead. Her master, inflamed by this brutal act, cuts her body into 12 parts and sends them to the all the tribes of Israel.
This story reminds me of living in South Africa where women
have no value. Less than a week ago, a
young girl’s body was discovered. She had
been raped by ex-boyfriend and his accomplices, and then her womb was ripped
from her body. Violence against women in South Africa is not extraordinary.
In fact it’s so common that in a recent survey 30% of men have admitted to
having raped a woman. This percentage includes the horrific and brutal violation of the woman’s person as described above.
We know that children and women suffer the worst during war times becasue they are most vulnerable and powerless. We realize that women and children are used by invading armies as canon fodder. So, does this mean that South Africa is fighting a civil war: on one side are the women and girl children and on other side are their murderers and abusers?
We know that children and women suffer the worst during war times becasue they are most vulnerable and powerless. We realize that women and children are used by invading armies as canon fodder. So, does this mean that South Africa is fighting a civil war: on one side are the women and girl children and on other side are their murderers and abusers?
What does one do in a society where women have no value and
even less honor? In the story above, we find that the nation of Israel had no
answer for the lack of value and appreciation of women. They were stymied when the man sent his
concubine’s body parts to the 12 tribes. They could only remark, “ has anyone
seen anything like this in Israel?”
Where do you find yourself in this story? Are you the father, the master, the concubine the virgin, the old man,
or the rapists?
We find that both the old gentleman and the concubine’s
master are willing to send her outside to be abused by these men. They are only troubled that it is taken too far.
But when is too far? We find that the
old man is willing to give up his virgin daughter to satisfy the lust of the
townsmen. Like Lot in Sodom and
Gomorrah, he rather give up his daughters and then allow the angelic visitors
to face sodomy. But what of the woman , her value, her worth? Obviously because
the concubine is already labeled as depreciated because the virgin is not
subjected to similar abuse.
When the master finds the concubine laid on the threshold,
he only tells her to get up; it’s time to go. There’s no kindness or compassion.
One wonders why he even traveled from Bethlehem to retrieve the concubine from
her father’s home. We might think it’s a sad turn of affairs or twist of fate,
for the concubine would’ve been better off if she had remained at her father’s home.
The concubine’s father had advised them not to the travel at night. Yet, he
refuses to heed the advice Why?
I’d like to ask us the same question: “Why do we refuse to heed the cautions, warnings,
the premonitions that line the same very dangerous road in the nation in South
Africa? When girl children are raped with incredible alacrity, with no alarm in
the people’s hearts, what does that say about the conscience of the
nation?
As ancient Israel so
present day South Africa. It is an
indictment against people who do not truly care. One young woman upon hearing of the brutal
rape and murder of the 17- year old victim, Anene Booysen quipped, “They could’ve asked; they
didn’t have to take it.” So it’s all
right to ask, and if the answer is no, take it anyway?
There is something
very broken about the South African male- it is the South African woman. She is
the one who is teaching him that he is more important than her girl children. When
the girl child works, and the boy does nothing at home. When he is given the
first portion and the best part, what else can he think? I heard a story of a
Christian minister and his assistant who both believed that a woman had less
worth than a cow. The assistant began to cry, as she released the pent frustration
and despair of having no value. What is saddest of all is that we wound
ourselves.
I am scared of this false belief system, for you see it was
this reason that I came to South Africa- to confront the hegemony, the abuse,
and the lies about who girls really are and what they are really worth. Please read the report for yourself below.
The Government Communication and Information
System (GCIS) has added its voice to the national call for South Africans to
get involved and take a firm stand against rape and all forms of violence
against women and children.
GCIS staff members took to the streets of
Pretoria on Monday in a bid to increase community awareness about the scourge
of rape.
Carrying placards with messages such as "No
means no", "Say no to rape", "Real men don't rape",
"Don't look away: report and act against rape", staff members
interacted with the public, handing out pamphlets with toll-free helpline
numbers for Crime Stop and Childline, among others.
The pamphlets also had information on steps
individuals and communities could take to protect themselves.
"We are calling on society to be active
participants and unite against the abuse of women," said acting GCIS CEO
Phumla Williams. "Government alone cannot do it."
"As the GCIS, we want to empower the public
with the information … We want everybody to be part of the campaign."
Williams emphasised the need to empower people
in South Africa's rural areas, saying they had to be better equipped to report
incidences of rape.
The campaign's message resonated with members of
the public. Lillian Raophala (25), a student in one of the colleges in the
Pretoria city centre, said she fully supported the campaign.
"Women should be free and they must report
incidences of rape," she said.
Thabang Phago from Mamelodi, east of Pretoria,
said rape should not be tolerated. "As men, we need to unite against such
acts," he said.
The campaign was triggered by recent rape cases,
the most recent being that of Anene Booysen (17), who was raped and mutilated
in Bredasdorp in the Western Cape.
She was found at a construction site on
Saturday, 2 February, left for dead by her attackers. She died later that day
from her injuries.
One of Booysen's alleged killers appeared before
the Bredasdorp Magistrate's Court on Monday. Three people, all from Bredasdorp,
have been arrested in connection with Booysen's death. Booysen was buried at the weekend.
