The meaning of corrective rape as experienced by black South African lesbians

D.Litt. et Phil. (Psychology)Abstract: This study explored the lived experiences of a group of Black lesbian women who endured corrective rape through speaking back at institutionalized patriarchy and heteronormativity. Survivors conquered the irretrievable loss of rape in various psychological and social sequelae and vulnerabilities. An exploratory qualitative research method, interpretive phenomenology, was used. The findings of the study revealed various psychological and social implications for the Black lesbian subjectivity tasked with integrating rape trauma into her life tapestry. Amongst the findings were consequences pertaining expected psychological and mental health circumstances in the context of sexual assault trauma. However, pertaining the butch Black lesbian subjectivity as such, surprising additional consequences leaned into ongoing and more exacerbated vulnerabilities of identity, performativity, and gender non-conformity, which seemed to have deepened the experience of corrective rape. As corrective rape has, to date, evaded interpretive psychological discourse, the study recommends that more explicit emphasis is placed on the psychological aspects of this additionally burdened, multi-stigmatized identity outside of heteronormative frameworks. This study also suggests urgent recognition of corrective rape as a sexual orientation-based expression of violence, emphasizing recognition of its unique burden as embodied in the subjectivity of a Black lesbian woman who is also gender non-conforming. These findings hold implications for government bodies and policies, community-based programmes and reports