Exploring the Normalisation of Rape as Gender-based Violence in Lesotho

The prevalence of rape in South Africa is commonly known to be one of the worst in the world and therefore a major human rights issue. However, there has been evidence to suggest that the kingdom of Lesotho, located within South Africa, has higher levels. Nevertheless, there has been little research conducted on rape in Lesotho. Within the academic community, it is acknowledged that there are multiple factors that can cause a crime to be extensively prevalent and normalised within society. Within this thesis, feminist standpoints and a decolonial lens have been used to broaden the perspective of research and thematic coding has categorised the different themes of choice. Ecological maps have been utilised as a theoretical framework in which secondary data has been collected to evidence the cultural, societal and legal factors within Lesotho that aid in making rape prevalence so high. Overall, the findings discuss the traditional patriarchal nature within society in Lesotho and the themes within society that lead to the normalisation of rape.