Video footage of a girl being violently gang raped is causing a social media storm.
The video, which Memeburn will not link to for legal and ethical reasons, reportedly shows seven males aged between 14 and 20 raping a 17 year old girl.
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According to Eyewitness News, the video was captured on a cellphone camera and clearly features faces, genitalia, and several instances of penetration.
The young males can also be heard offering the girl R2 for her silence. The girl meanwhile can be heard pleading with her attackers to stop while they discuss whether or not she is crying.
The girl has been missing for at least three weeks now.
“She’s just a normal girl that was captured by the boys and kept there for sexual activities,” the police’s Kay Makhubela said.
On Twitter, many expressed outrage that the video itself had spread so quickly and that people were still asking for the link:
We live in a visual society! RT @Elle_Khupe People are asking for a link to the #RapeVideo?? Really?? Are people that sick??#Godhavemercy
— Kona Nkz (@Launchbandits) April 18, 2012
@KatyKatopodis Disgusting that people would even want to watch such vulgar acts of humanity , what kind of a world do we live in..#rapevideo
— jessica bell (@jesza_bella) April 18, 2012
People who ask to see the #RapeVideo are the reason we have a #RapeVideo issue in the first place. It aint right.
— Keshni Kush (@keShMoney89) April 18, 2012
“@Lee_Ngcobz: The people asking for the #rapevideo link worry me. Honestly.”
— rose damane (@Jus_Rose) April 18, 2012
Alarmed at how many people are asking us to share a link to the #RapeVideo or who are sharing the link on Twitter. Not appropriate.
— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) April 18, 2012
RT @KatyKatopodis: To those asking for the #rapevideo linkthat #EWN reported on today. Stop! Not happening! We’d never put it on our site.
— Zombie Llama (@Vasha_T) April 18, 2012
I’m so shocked that people are asking for a link to the #RapeVideo ! What kind of world do we live in? What on earth is going on??
— Renee Everett (@ReneeEverett) April 18, 2012
Some suggested that the retribution handed out to the boys who committed the act should be violent:
@Kimbelshanks Thanks Kimmy. People like that should get the death penalty! Full stop #rapevideo
— Dylan Moore (@MrCPT) April 18, 2012
I will personally chop off each one of these 6 mother fuckers dicks with a bottle neck.. This #rapevideo shit is disgusting #pappawagvirjou
— Dylan Moore (@MrCPT) April 18, 2012
@ClaysonMonyela: #RapeVideo. I shall b praying 4 the 7 rapists 2 find like minded monsters in jail 2 give them a taste of their own medicine
— Karissa Samuel* (@ksamsays) April 18, 2012
I agree!Rapists should be castrated and their penis cut off “@Mosh_Mph:Actually,they should just be castrated and thrown in jail.#rapevideo”
— Lauren Daisy Flynn (@DaisyLauren) April 18, 2012
I pray that the full might of the law will see these monsters behind bars for life! Beware in jail; Karma is a Bitch! #RapeVideo
— Debra Matias (@debrajane79) April 18, 2012
Sick bastards! I hope they live long painful lives. watching their loved ones die around them.There’s no exception! #Rapevideo.
— Diyaksha(@Diyaksha) April 18, 2012
Some did, however, note that the rapists were a systematic result of the society they grew up in:
The BOYS arrested for raping a 16 yr old in Soweto in a #RapeVideo are aged 14-20. They were taught this behaviour. That is #rapeculture
— Deva Lee (@DevaLee) April 18, 2012
This #RapeVideo incidence should not be looked at in isolation. These things start as ‘games’ and become more sinister with time.
— Zama (@JoziGoddess) April 18, 2012
@702JohnRobbie many young men feel powerless in face of poverty, unemployment.rape of females can give sense of power,control? #rape
— robyn mowatt (@robynmowatt) April 18, 2012
@robynmowatt SA masculinity has been made extraordinarily toxic by circumstances – remind me to expand when next we meet.
— Natasha Joseph (@TashJoeZA) April 18, 2012
Prominent actor and comedian Rob van Vuuren called on men to stand up against rape:
There are a few boys out there saying; ‘what about respecting us?’1stly it goes without saying that we should protect our sons & daughters..
— Rob Van Vuuren (@RobVanVuuren) April 18, 2012
2ndly – we live in a rampantly patriarchal society where rape statistics are terrifying. So stop whining and man the fuck up.
— Rob Van Vuuren (@RobVanVuuren) April 18, 2012
Seven of the accused have been arrested and are set to appear in court tomorrow:
#RapeVideo Seven boys, aged between 14 and 20, have been arrested. They are in custody and will appear in court tomorrow.
— EWN Reporter (@ewnreporter) April 18, 2012
The girl has meanwhile been found:
#RapeVideo MEC Mazibuko has confirmed the teenage girl has been found and is at the Dobsonville police station.
— Mandy Wiener (@MandyWiener) April 18, 2012
Statistics suggest that around 500 000 rapes occur in South Africa annually. In a survey conducted among schoolchildren in the South African township of Soweto a quarter of all the boys interviewed said that ‘jackrolling’, a term for gang rape, was fun.
The video is now also receiving international attention after a story about it was featured on CNN.
