Woman allegedly raped at UCT

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File photo

Published Nov 16, 2015

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Cape Town - A woman was allegedly raped at a UCT building on Sunday night.

The woman, who is Gender Studies student at UCT and a member of the #FeesMustFall movement, said on Facebook that she was raped by a fellow member of the movement, in a space where she had felt safe.

The rape allegedly took place at Avenue House in Mowbray (also known as Azania Hall).

UCT spokeswoman Pat Lucas said the university is still busy investigating the matter.

The woman posted on her Facebook page in the early hours of Monday morning, saying she woke up to a male comrade violating her.

“I was sleeping and then I wake up to feel fingers up my vagina,” she wrote. “I then wake up to go cry in the bathroom and try and wake up the men in this space.”

She wrote that it took a long time, and a great effort on her part, to get the men staying in Azania Hall to come to her defence and protection.

“It takes moments of pleading and eventually me tipping over tables and f***ing s**t up before n*****s are able to wake up and come to the point of addressing the fact that a whole womyn [sic] body has been violated in the darkness of the night.”

She identified the man, and his name and photograph have since been shared widely on social media. Some posts have asked for his address, saying he was wanted by police for questioning.

However, police spokesman Lieutenant Colonel Andre Traut could not confirm that a rape had been reported or that charges had been laid.

The woman's Facebook post has since been deleted.

Supporters rallied around the woman on social media as #RapeAtAzania, saying the misogynistic and patriarchal elements within the #FeesMustFall movement must be dealt with.

@ameeraconrad said: “Black womyn, know this, you are never safe. Not even with those who claim to be your brothers.”

Rhodes Must Fall is set to host a mass meeting at Azania House at 1pm on Monday.

* The identities of the alleged victim and her alleged rapist have been revealed on social media. IOL, however, cannot reveal their names for legal reasons.

   TWITTER REACTS TO ALLEGED RAPE AT UCT

 

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