Simphiwe Dana speaks of ‘Ukuthwala’ as GBV, “in the village, assault was seen as some sort of game”

Afro-soul singer Simphiwe Dana spoke out about the “ukuthwala”, another form of gender-based violence (GBV) in South Africa.

“Ukuthwala” is the practice of abducting under-aged girls and forcing them into marriages, usually with older boys or men.

This is common practise in rural areas in the Eastern Cape and KwaZulu-Natal.

These type of marriages or “ukuthwala” are often done without the parents’ consent.In a Twitter thread on Friday, the Eastern Cape-born star detailed her own experience growing up in a rural area where this is a norm.

She said:” I don’t know about you. But growing up in the village, sexual assault was seen as some sort of game.”