The Rose has Thorns

Donna Smith* outlines the campaign currently underway to combat hate crimes against lesbian women.

An anti-hate crimes campaign, “The Rose has Thorns”, has been initiated by the Women’sForum, and Behind the Mask.

The Women’s Forum is a support, empowerment and networking group for same-gender-loving women of colour in Gauteng, and Behind the Mask is a website magazine and community service organisation serving the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) community of Africa. The campaign is in partnership with all the major gay and lesbian community structures around the country, and has the active support of some human rights, gender equity and women’s organisations.

What is a Hate Crime

During Lesbian and Gay Pride Week in September last year, the following definition of a hate crime was adopted: “It is an illegal act committed with the intent of depriving a person of some right or benefit because s/he belongs to a particular grouping”.

The key features of a hate crime are that:

1. It is motivated by hatred, not of the individ- ual, but of the particular grouping to which s/he belongs.
2. It usually takes the form of a violent crime based on myths, misconceptions, prejudices and cultural expectations, for example, the idea that (forced) heterosexual intercourse will “fix” or “straighten” out a lesbian woman.
3. It often takes the form of verbal, or other subtler forms of abuse or victimisation that fall just short of being punishable under the prevailing criminal law regime.
4. Some hate crimes are even state-sponsored, like the re-victimisation of lesbian rape victims by the police to whom they report their cases, who often respond by suggesting that the victim deserved it, for daring to challenge the hetero- sexist social order.

This offensive against lesbians, though having relatively few participants, unfortunately seems to enjoy the support of many of the communities in which it is waged, if only by virtue of their silence. Often the victims have nowhere to turn for assistance and support, against the perpetrators who are usually known to them.

Many of these hate crimes are committed against women. The situation had reached crisis levels without any effective response from the criminal justice system and the relevant governmental and non-governmental service and support structures.

Why the Rose…

The name for this campaign is motivated by three ideas.

1. Despite the rosy nature of the South African Constitution, hailed as the best in the world, the fundamental principles of freedom and equality are inadequately implemented. Hate crimes against lesbian and bisexual women is one such thorny area. The responsible authorities must address this problem so that freedom and equality can be a reality for everyone living here. “Great care must be taken in handling the rose, even as one seeks to enjoy its fragrance.”
2. Lesbian women are first and foremost, women and share all the qualities of a woman that the rose has become a familiar symbol of – beauty, gentleness, sensitivity. Like other women, we are prickly about issues of our safety, dignity and self-worth; and are prepared to fight back. The increasing incidence of lesbian-bashing and rapes, particularly over the past six months, is testimony to the alarming nature of this particular threat. It will not be tolerated any longer. “The hand that reaches for the rose carelessly or in anger might not only damage the flower, but shall also surely feel the prick of her thorns.”
3. There are people who hold on to their hate as if it were a virtue equal to any the rose has ever been used to symbolise. But, if there is any truth to the teachings over the ages, that hate will eventually turn inwards and cause as much injury to the hater as to the hated. “Be careful how you clutch the rose to your heart, lest its thorns pierce the skin and cause you great pain.”

Campaign Objectives

“The Rose has Thorns” campaign has four objectives:

• Immediate enactment of anti-hate crimes legislation – at present, many acts that could be defined as hate crimes fall outside the ambit of the   criminal law, and so are not punishable, such as verbal abuse.
• Better service from the police for lesbian victims of hate-motivated violence and abuse.
• Increased sensitivity of mainstream service providers in the area of violence against women to the particular issues of lesbian women who     become victims of rape and other acts of violence simply because of their      sexual orientation, and improved ability to provide support and     assistance to these women.

• Making zero tolerance of all forms of gender based violence a national imperative.

These objectives have been translated into rallying points for the campaign, supported by slogans like: “I refuse to tolerate your hate”; “we won’t stop until the hating does”; and “hate won’t make me straight”.

Campaign Activities

The campaign is based on three phases. The first phase was the Civil Society launch during the Women’s Anti-War March and Symposium on International Women’s Day in Johannesburg. Here various mainstream stakeholders were invited to express their support for the campaign, and their commitment to helping in the eradication of hate crimes against lesbians.

The second phase was a Media Launch during the Behind the Mask media workshop on the eve of Human Rights Day, on March 20. The media will be actively encouraged to expose this evil, and make it a front page issue.

Phase three is the General Launch, at a public rally to be staged on Freedom Day, April 27, at a suitable venue. At that rally, Behind the Mask’s comprehensive report on hate crimes against lesbians, as well as its public education brochure will be introduced. A petition calling for effective action in line with the campaign objectives will be served on the authorities.

There will then follow a series of activities, both in the cities and in the townships, where most of the reports of these attacks come from, including public discussion fora, victim account hearings, workshops, marches, video screenings, poetic and literary readings, art exhibitions, and other appropriate initiatives.

Though based in Johannesburg, the campaign is national in scope, and will continue until there is no longer a need for it – “We won’t stop until the hating does!”

Anyone wishing to express their support of, or to participate in, “The Rose has Thorns” Anti-Hate Crimes Campaign should contact Donna Smith or Zanele Muholi at (011) 616 4244, 083 423 5044 or email: zanele @mask.org.za