Young Lesbian Football Player Raped and Murdered for being Gay
Tuesday 6th May 2008
A lesbian football player was gang raped then murdered in a homophobic attack in South Africa last week.
Russian skinheads attacked a gay rights gathering. Image by Marek Peters
Midfielder Eudy Simelane, 31, was returning to her home in the Johannesburg suburb of Kwatema when a gang of young men attacked her. When her body was examined by police they found evidence of gang rape and vicious, repeated stab wounds. Her body was then dumped in a nearby patch of ground.
Simelane was well known in the community, and her sexuality was not a secret. That makes investigators think it was a hate crime. Carrie Shelver, of the People Opposed to Women Abuse said: "We believe that it is a homophobic hate crime simply by the fact that the victim in this case was a well known lesbian.”
Homophobic hate crimes have, unfortunately, become a somewhat common occurrence in South Africa and many other African countries. In 2006, a lesbian was chased down and murdered by a mob of angry men. On July 7, 2007, two young lesbians were raped, tortured, and killed in Soweto. This led to human rights groups launching the 07-07-07 campaign to help stamp out homophobic violence.
Africa is, of course, not alone in having problems with homophobic violence. On Saturday, a non-violent protest in St. Petersburg, Russia was marred by homophobic attacks.
The event was a gathering in support of the Day of Silence, intended to help end homophobic violence, bullying and discrimination. The 25 protestors met in a city park and taped their mouths shut. Then a group of young men, allegedly dressed as rappers, attacked the participants.
Several people were injured, though none seriously. The attackers fled before police arrived. Another gay rights event being held simultaneously in the nearby city of Novokuznetsk was attacked by a group of skinheads, with one participant injured.
Russian skinheads attacked a gay rights gathering. Image by Marek Peters
Midfielder Eudy Simelane, 31, was returning to her home in the Johannesburg suburb of Kwatema when a gang of young men attacked her. When her body was examined by police they found evidence of gang rape and vicious, repeated stab wounds. Her body was then dumped in a nearby patch of ground.
Simelane was well known in the community, and her sexuality was not a secret. That makes investigators think it was a hate crime. Carrie Shelver, of the People Opposed to Women Abuse said: "We believe that it is a homophobic hate crime simply by the fact that the victim in this case was a well known lesbian.”
Homophobic hate crimes have, unfortunately, become a somewhat common occurrence in South Africa and many other African countries. In 2006, a lesbian was chased down and murdered by a mob of angry men. On July 7, 2007, two young lesbians were raped, tortured, and killed in Soweto. This led to human rights groups launching the 07-07-07 campaign to help stamp out homophobic violence.
Africa is, of course, not alone in having problems with homophobic violence. On Saturday, a non-violent protest in St. Petersburg, Russia was marred by homophobic attacks.
The event was a gathering in support of the Day of Silence, intended to help end homophobic violence, bullying and discrimination. The 25 protestors met in a city park and taped their mouths shut. Then a group of young men, allegedly dressed as rappers, attacked the participants.
Several people were injured, though none seriously. The attackers fled before police arrived. Another gay rights event being held simultaneously in the nearby city of Novokuznetsk was attacked by a group of skinheads, with one participant injured.
