The Quiet Violence of Rape: Unnamed Survivors, Unnameable Scars

Abstract

Rape narratives have often focused on race. Unfortunately, the long term psychological damage survivors suffer is often disregarded or not treated seriously. Even reported cases are sometimes removed from the court roll without the knowledge of the survivors. The present study aims to highlight the lifelong impact of rape on the survivors by analysing literary texts that feature rape both in South Africa and elsewhere. Rape is often gendered; however, I argue that ascribing rape to women only is patently abysmal because men are too victimized. The permanent psychological damage caused by rape is often understated; therefore rapists may be aware only of the physical pain they inflict. Rape is a crime of power, which is informed by patriarchy, hate, a sense of entitlement, a penchant for body control, a “threatened” masculinity and a herd mentality. The violation often results in desperate actions such as suicide, homicide, self-blame, and identity-confusion. Silence remains the most conspicuous and disturbing commonality among the survivors; hence the paper uses Noelle-Neumann’s (1974: p. 43) spiral of silence theory to understand the survivors’ silence. Some of the prevailing reasons for silence are economic dependence, cultural dictates, immaturity, fear of social isolation, as well as the inattentive legal system. It is critical to note that rape cuts across time, space, culture, gender, race and class. It is a global phenomenon; hence I examine rape in three geographically disparate novels; Aidoo’s Changes (Ghana), Angelou’s I know Why the Caged Bird Sings (USA) and Duiker’s The Quiet Violence of Dreams (South Africa) as well as other textual accounts in order to elucidate the impact of rape on survivors. Finally, I argue that programs developed to deal with the scourge should be based on credible and reliable analysis of the rape pandemic.