Unisa blasted for out-of-date, incorrect definition of rape in guide

UNISA has come under fire for an out-of-date description of rape that was used in its study material to give a legal definition of the act.

Robyn Porteous took Unisa to task, posting the offending paragraph on her Twitter timeline.

The incorrect definition, which slipped though the quality assurance process, defined rape as “deliberate intercourse with a woman without her consent”.

“Only a woman can be a victim of rape and only a man can be a transgressor.

“In legal terms, the boy can therefore not be raped by a woman and a girl who is sexually abused by a woman cannot be considered a victim of rape. Such transgression will be considered immoral assaults.”

Responding to this, Porteous said: “This is the definition of rape according to an @unisa study guide that was compiled by lecturers!!

“To say that I am furious that this is a) being taught to students, and b) considered good quality learning material by the lecturers at the university, is to put it mildly.”

She told the Cape Times’ sister paper The Mercury that Unisa had

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To say that I am furious that this is being taught... is to put it mildly Robyn Porteous

Twitter User

informed her that the issue was being addressed.

“A lecturer at Unisa assisted in escalating the matter. An errata will be sent out in relation to the use of the incorrect and out-of-date definition of rape. I’m grateful,” she said in another post.

Unisa spokesperson Martin Ramotshela said the university had noted the error and had already issued an erratum notice to affected students, advising them to replace the definition with the correct definition provided for in South African law.

He said the module in question was in the process of being phased out.

“We also affirm that our quality assurance process is rigorous in order to minimise errors of this nature. However, when such errors are picked up, they get corrected immediately,” Ramotshela said.

Spokesperson for Sonke Gender Justice Patrick Godana said: “The Sexual Offences Act was reviewed a few years ago and broadened.

“Unisa is part of South Africa and cannot be producing its own laws. They need to remember they are shaping intellectuals who would need to defend some of these cases in court.”