Wounded healing and rape survivors in South Africa: Converting social pain to healing

Abstract

Gender-based violence (GBV), particularly rape, continues to be a deeply entrenched crisis in South Africa, with one in three women experiencing sexual or physical abuse in their lifetime. This article explored a wounded healing approach to rape survivors within the context of GBV, drawing on the theological metaphor of Christ as the ultimate wounded healer to propose a framework for pastoral care that facilitates the transformation of social pain into social healing. Central to this exploration is the question: How does the church respond to the pervasive issue of rape, and what is its public and pastoral role in addressing GBV? Using a literature-based methodology that follows a practical theological approach, the article explores the intersection of theological reflection, empirical analysis and contextual pastoral care. It examines the church’s potential as both a site of healing and an agent of public witness against gendered violence. The article highlighted how the lived experiences of survivors, when acknowledged and integrated into pastoral responses, can become resources for transformative care. In this wounded healer approach, survivors are not merely passive recipients of help but active participants in a healing process that draws on shared suffering and redemptive narratives. The article further proposes practical theological interventions that equip churches to shift from silence or complicity to active engagement and advocacy.
Contribution: The article contributes to addressing a gap in theological scholarship on GBV by offering a contextual and praxis-oriented model of care rooted in Christian compassion, justice and social responsibility.