Bisexual woman gang raped at gunpoint because of her “lifestyle”

In another horrific LGBTI hate crime, a 30-something bisexual mother of three in Limpopo has reportedly been raped by a group of men who said they wanted to show her that her “lifestyle is wrong.”

Activist Cindy Molefe, from the group Limpopo LGBTI Proudly Out, told Mambaonline that the woman, Abby*, who has often worked with the organisation canvassing for LGBTI rights, was brutally attacked on Saturday night.

Abby was walking home in the rural town of Jane Furse in the Sekhukhune District Municipality at around 9.30pm when three men grabbed her from behind and dragged her into nearby bushes at gunpoint.

The men then took turns raping her.

“They called her a lesbian and said they will show her that it’s wrong the way she is doing things. They said she must change her lifestyle and ‘who does she think she is?'” recounted Molefe.

One of the rapists urged the other men to kill Abby, fearing that she might be able to identify them. “But she begged them, ‘Don’t kill me, because I have kids,'” said Molefe. At some point she lost consciousness. When she woke up the men were gone.

The half-naked and bleeding Abby ran to a neighbour’s house for help. She didn’t go to home because she didn’t want to frighten her children – aged seven, eleven and twelve – who were waiting for her.

She was treated in hospital for her injuries and has reported the attack to the police. “It didn’t go very well,” explained Molefe. “The police made her feel that it was her fault because she was walking alone at that time.”

Molefe expressed further concern that the police’s forensic team reportedly only examined Abby on Tuesday, three days after the rape. They also apparently failed to take what remained of the clothes she wore during the attack, items that could contain evidence.

The experience has left Abby, who is unemployed, traumatised and unable to function. “We hope she will get well but she needs psychological help,” said Molefe. “She feels like she wants to kill herself. She can’t take care of her own kids, she won’t go out to buy food and she doesn’t have much support.”

The activist has appealed for urgent assistance. If you can help Abby and her children in any way please contact Molefe on 060 616 9957.

*While Mambaonline knows the victim’s name, we have chosen to identify her as Abby to protect her privacy.