Zuma trial

Johannesburg: A trauma specialist has been questioned exhaustively at Jacob Zuma's trial on a rape charge about the characteristics and effects of trauma, in the light of the accuser's account of events.

The woman told the high court here last week that when she opened her eyes and saw Zuma was naked, she just "froze", did not fight back or scream, and was in a daze that lasted some time.

"Based on recent literature, freeze, flight, fight, fright, faint provides a more complete description of the human acute stress response sequence than current descriptions," said Merle Friedman, reading her assessment of the woman to the court.

It was "entirely consistent" with the literature and her professional experience that there were variations in response.

"When the attack is completely unexpected and the victim is awakened from sleep and perceives herself to be trapped, it is probable that her response would be to freeze and submit, rather than to fight.

"Also, the history of the relationship, as that of father-daughter, and the respect in which she held him, would further reduce the chance of her fighting.

"She did say 'no' twice to him and turned her face away and closed her eyes, which was some attempt at not being there or fleeing.

"The first response to a traumatic event is to freeze and some people come out of it and other people stay in the freeze."

The woman had known Zuma since she was five and repeatedly referred to him throughout her testimony as "umalume" (uncle).

Friedman said most women "froze" while being raped. Studies had found that even soldiers froze in traumatic situations.

Disagreeing, Zuma's counsel, Kemp J Kemp, said this often depended on circumstances, such as when the attacker was bigger than the woman or armed. At the time of the alleged rape at his home here last year, Zuma was 5kg heavier than the woman.

Commenting that it was unusual for a woman and her father to speak about the woman's sexual needs, as Zuma and the complainant had done before the incident, Kemp questioned Friedman about her knowledge of Zulu culture.

She said she was not qualified to say if this was an appropriate conversation according to Zulu tradition and culture.

The complainant testified last week that she had been raped three times as a child. She believed that a pregnancy she terminated had been linked to a rape whose details she could not recall.

Kemp suggested that the woman, with her history as a rape victim, should have developed ways of resisting such attacks.

Friedman said: "I haven't met people who have made an active effort to get used to being raped."

Friedman said it was normal for victims to take a long time to report rapes and difficult for them to begin to use the word "rape" to describe what happened.

"The time it took her to be able to use the word was consistent with rape survivors."

Friedman testified that the woman also showed signs of dissociation and startled easily.

Dissociation was when the mind was so overwhelmed by an event it could not deal with it. A person could dissociate by freezing or becoming unaware of what was going on.

"Dissociation is usually indicative of early childhood sexual abuse," Friedman said.

The dissociative amnesia associated with this could explain why the woman could not remember how she fell pregnant.

The woman believes she fell pregnant while being raped at a seminary during an episode she referred to as an "attack" and which included fainting. Kemp put it to her that this could just have been a way of securing permission for an abortion.

He questioned Friedman extensively on what he believed was "selective memory".

Friedman said the woman showed signs of post-traumatic stress disorder. She had begun speaking about the rape only when she was in her own office and when she felt safe.

The exchange between Kemp and Friedman was tense at times. Questioning an expert's description of trauma that Friedman presented, Kemp said: "Can I ask you, did she leave out shouting for help, because it doesn't start with an 'f'?"

Friedman replied: "I don't think that requires an answer."

Mupata Likibi, the doctor who examined the woman, told the court the only injury the woman had was a posterior fourchette tear 2-5mm long. This could have been from force or passion, not having had intercourse for a long time, a lack of preparation, instrument or nail.

With acknowledgement to Jenni Evans and Amy Musgrave, Sapa and Cape Times.