Petrelis Files

SF Talk on 'Corrective Rape' Against
Lesbians from S. African Pastor

A few weeks ago my church had the privilege of hearing from a gay pastor in South Africa whose ministry receives generous financial support and many prayers from our congregation.

During the service, Rev. Pieter Oberholzer expressed heartfelt gratitude to the members of St. Francis Lutheran Church, and he spoke about his ministry's work assisting gay people who are ostracized in their local communities, rejected by their families, many of whom also suffer violence and sexual assaults. Click here to learn more about this important ministry.

When he told us of the epidemic of "corrective rape" against lesbians, it was the first time I'd heard that awful term, and I recoiled in horror as he defined what it meant. Oberholzer said such sexual violence was carried out by ignorant and hateful male attackers who believe raping lesbians will "cure" them into becoming heterosexuals. Sometimes the lesbian victims are raped and then murdered.

In his closing comments, he reminded us that South Africa has pro-gay laws on the books, but a lot of work still needs to be carried out to change the hearts and minds of his fellow citizens to make them accept gay people on a daily basis.

After the Sunday service, I told Oberholzer if he needs an activist response from the streets of San Francisco, such as a solidarity action in the Castro, or letters to the South African embassy in Washington, that I would volunteer to help. I wasn't able to speak with him very long because he had a reporter and photographer from the Bay Area Reporter waiting to interview and photograph him.

Kudos to the BAR for bringing attention to Oberholzer and his ministry, and for educating readers about the plight of gays in South Africa today. Here are selections from the excellent BAR article:

In recognition of the work that gays and lesbians did to end apartheid in South Africa, the new national constitution included an amendment specifically prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in 1993, Oberholzer explained. Oberholzer was a member of the Organisation of Lesbians and Gays against Apartheid, which worked with the African National Congress to develop the amendment . . .

No South African church would recognize Oberholzer as a pastor because he is an openly gay man. So he came to San Francisco for help in the mid-1990s, with no contacts, and began cold-calling organizations, looking for funding . . .

Oberholzer was welcomed at the church, first by the Reverend James DeLange, and then by the congregation as a whole . . .

St. Francis and LLGM continue to support his work financially as well, and are key donors to Oberholzer's organization, Inclusive and Affirming Ministries in South Africa . . .

When he began IAM, Oberholzer said, "Ten ministers were on a list of open and affirming clergy."

"Now there are 1,000 ministers on that list," he noted.

IAM also created the first and only gay and lesbian shelter in South Africa outside of Cape Town . . .

Too often gay men live entirely closeted lives in the townships, marrying for fear of being expelled from their communities, Oberholzer said. Lesbians face similar social pressures and an even greater threat of violence.

"South Africa has the highest rape statistics in the world. One in three women are raped in South Africa," Oberholzer said. Lesbians are also subjected to what Oberholzer said was termed "corrective rape." He puts the number of lesbians raped at 85 percent, and said that family members commit most assaults . . .

Asked for the biggest need of IAM Oberholzer replied succinctly: "money."

Because the organization doesn't fit neatly within existing social justice groups it often has trouble securing adequate funding for its programs.

"We are too religious for the gay rights groups and too gay for the religious groups," Oberholzer explained.

IAM welcomes donation to support its work. Donations can be made by contacting Oberholzer through IAM's Web site.