Feminist Perspectives on Rape in Africa

Abstract

Rape is a form of sexual violence prevalent globally. Sex subjects are taboo among most of the African communities and are not topics for discussions in public. They are often ignored by the legal advisers, leaving victims traumatized. Feminists agree that this act is wrong and dehumanizing. Despite the frequent reporting of rape cases by victims, perpetrators of the act are left freely without serious legal actions being taken. Therefore, this chapter examines the feminist perspective on rape in Africa. This was done by investigating how rape is understood in order to explain how it should be combated specifically in Africa. This chapter will also give a case study of Botswana, which, according to a study review done in 2023, is the lead in Africa with the highest incidents of 92.93%. The chapter will be based on review of scholarly works done by various scholars. Feminist mechanisms of women solidarity were emphasized to show women were not objects of pity.