WINDHOEK– The Ombetja Yehinga Organisation (OYO)’s piece Magda, alongside Should I know? and Stigma, will go on tour of six northern regions of Namibia.
Magda premiered in August 2012 at the Goethe Centre. A worrying growing phenomenon in Southern Africa is ‘corrective’ rape. ‘Corrective’ rapes happen when men, either as individuals or in groups, attack and rape lesbian women with the aim of ‘correcting’ them, or setting them ‘straight’. It is estimated that at least 500 lesbians become victim of corrective rape each year in South Africa. Cases of 13 years old girls being raped to be ‘corrected’ because it was feared they would become lesbians have been reported. Much less information is available in Namibia, but according to Florence /Khaxas, director of the Young Feminists Movement of Namibia, or Y-Fem, “ many passing conversations, men have been heard saying that all lesbians need is a ‘good man’ to bring them back to their senses, rape can never, and should never, be justified.”
“We choose to talk about ‘corrective’ rape as we feel it’s an extremely worrying new phenomenon’, explains OYO’s director and choreographer Philippe Talavera.’ How can rape ever be corrective? This phrase, ‘corrective’ rape, is a total non-sense, undermining years of work to make people understand that rape is a crime. Do people really believe you could ‘correct’ homosexuality with rape? And where would it stop? Could you ‘correct’ a wife cheating on you by raping her? There is nothing like ‘corrective’ rape. Rape is a crime, full stop. Individuals or groups raping lesbians will be sentenced as any other rapists.’
The piece follows the story of Magda, a 17-years old woman who falls in love with another woman. When her community discovers the affairs, the drama unfolds. “We didn’t want to make the story stereotyped,” explains Talavera. “We looked at the rapist, his motivation, and how his acts also changed his life.” Using physical theatre techniques, the 15-minutes long piece is challenging “not the usual OYO piece with a happy ending, but hopefully a piece that will make the audience reflect”.
Magda will be presented together with Should I know?, a piece aiming at encouraging young men to go for the HIV test, and Stigma, a piece looking at the damages discrimination and stigmatisation can have on individuals living with HIV. There are 40 shows scheduled at 40 schools starting in the Oshana region from September 14 -15), Omusati region (September 16- 18), Ohangwena region (September 19- 20), Oshikoto region (September 21- 23), Kavango East and Kavango West regions (September 24 – 28) and Caprivi region (September 3 –October 3).
The OYO tour is made possible by the Embassy of the Federal Republic of Germany in Windhoek.