JOHANNESBURG: A 13-year-old girl has become the latest victim of ''corrective rape'' as the trend of violent attacks on lesbians shows no signs of letting up.
''The government condemns this senseless and cowardly act of criminality,'' a department of justice spokesman, Tlali Tlali, said in a statement.
''Gay and lesbian rights are human and constitutional rights which must be protected and respected at all times,'' he said, promising a police investigation and assistance to the girl and her family.
The latest victim was said to have been open about her sexuality and was raped on Thursday in Pretoria, presumably as an act of ''corrective rape'' - so called, when men rape a woman to try to ''fix'' her homosexual orientation.
Last month Noxolo Nogwaza, a well-known activist, was found murdered after an attack that appeared to have been motivated by her being a lesbian.
''The vicious nature of the assault is a potent reminder that these attacks are premeditated, planned and often committed with impunity,'' Dipika Nath, a researcher with Human Rights Watch, said.
The human rights group has urged the government to more strongly condemn such acts and protect gays and lesbians. ''If the police and other state officials do not act swiftly, it will only be a matter of time before they have to account for their failure to the family and friends of the next lesbian who is beaten and killed,'' she said.
South Africa is seen as having very progressive laws, which include recognising gay marriages, but rights groups worry that not enough protection is offered to those in need and justice for victims moves too slowly.
Politicians and civil society groups held their first official meeting on the issue last week in Cape Town. The outcome was the formation of a taskforce to address the problem.
Deutsche Presse-Agentur