14th International AIDS Conference Barcelona, Spain - July 7-12, 2002

Int Conf AIDS 2002 Jul 7-12; 14:(abstract no. WeOrE1281)

Wood K, Jama N, Jewkes R, Nduna M, Levin J
Medical Research Council, Pretoria, South Africa

INTRODUCTION: Gang rape is a form of sexual violence which carries substantial risk of HIV transmission as sex is unprotected, multiple men are involved and women are often injured. One third of rapes reported to the police in South Africa involve more than one man. This paper describes research findings relating to this phenomenon in two provinces of South Africa.

METHODS: Ethnographic data was collected during long-term fieldwork with township youth in the Eastern Cape, and during facilitation of Stepping Stones HIV prevention workshops with youth in the North-West province. Quantitative data was collected using an interviewer-administered questionnaire (sample: 122 men).

RESULTS: Gang rape, often referred to as istimela (train) or streamline, is most commonly done by groups of friends. While sometimes practised opportunistically against a randomly chosen woman, it is often committed as a way of 'disciplining' or humiliating a young woman known to them, often an (ex-)/girlfriend of one of the group, for perceived transgressions (such as sexual infidelities). Young men who participate often do not view their actions as part of the crime of 'rape' because they argue that they have sexual access to these women, that a woman's silence entails 'consent', that it often involves trickery and subtle coercion rather than outright violence, and because drunk women (who are often targetted) are thought to be fair game. In the survey sample 15.6% (19) of the men reported having participated in an istimela. Logistic discriminant analysis showed that the only important factor associated with it was alcohol consumption: the lower the alcohol consumption, the less the chance of having been involved (OR=0.56, p=0.012). Reporting was not associated with age, education or socio-economic status.

CONCLUSIONS: Gang rape is a relatively common form of sexual violence entailing high HIV risk which needs to be addressed in prevention programmes.

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WeOrE1281

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