"Corrective Rape"

This is a letter to an editor found on this site.

"Dear Editor,

"Corrective rape" is the barbaric practice where men rape lesbian women to "make them straight". This heinous practice is alive and well in Jamaica but goes largely unreported. Nevertheless, last year there were six reported cases, and this month two lesbians were raped within days of each other.

The first young lady was walking home when she was brutally set upon and gang-raped by a group of four men from her community. The men had complained about and seemingly had had enough of her "butch" or manly attire and were also upset that she had all the good-looking women. They therefore "cut her" so she can better "tek man". Two days later the second young lady, a known friend of the first, was driven away in a taxi, held at knife-point and brutally raped after being forced to perform oral sex on her assailant. She was then dumped partially clothed and told that the next time her rapist would use a condom.

Both rapes were reported to the police. However, it is doubtful the women will follow through with the prosecutions as the stigma and discrimination faced by raped lesbians in Jamaica is much worse than regular rape victims: in the eyes of most Jamaicans, lesbians have dared to challenge the hetero-normative status quo and have therefore somehow caused their attacks.

As a people we should have a national revulsion to such often violent abuse of the rights of Jamaica's lesbian and gay population. Instead, encouraged by our leaders and laws, many of us wear our homophobia like a badge of national pride.

Peace and tolerance

H"

First of all, I would like to say that I am absolutely and completely disgusted by multiple things. Let's talk about a few.

1. Rape being used as a corrective device for anything. Rape is not okay. Ever. Rape is something that nobody, neither man nor woman, has the right to commit rape, and nobody should ever be a victim. It is wrong on so many levels.
2. The idea that being a lesbian is a choice. To be a girl who likes girls is not a choice. I ask people when they chose to be straight and they look at me like I'm crazy. They ask me the same question about girls, and then I wonder why they think that I should have a certain answer for them.
3. *This point contains foul language and is graphic. Please use caution reading on*
   (Taken from Part one of "Corrective Rape Continues in 2010"):
   "I have been able to confirm one that occurred in east Kingston only last Wednesday April 15, 2010 where a twenty year old bisexual sister was lured into a trap deliberately set by her attackers who informed her that she needs to straighten out herself and “stop mek woman fuck yuh” (stop allowing women to fuck you) as one or more of the eight men who savagely took turns raping her repeatedly advised her." The fact that people believe that being savagely beaten and raped will "teach" someone that they need to be heterosexual makes me sick. I don't understand why, in society, we can't understand that it isn't a choice, and that nothing will actually change it. Not "straight camp," not "praying the gay away," not rape.

When will it stop?