A disturbing case out of Boksburg has once again forced South Africans to confront a frightening reality: sexual violence can take many forms, and consent is non-negotiable. Police have arrested a 34-year-old man accused of drugging his wife, raping her while she was unconscious, and sharing pornographic videos of the assaults without her consent. Investigators say the crime spanned years, with the victim appearing sedated and unaware when the offences occurred. This form of assault is linked in academic literature to somnophilia—a term describing a sexual interest in someone who is asleep or unconscious. While somnophilia itself refers to a psychological interest, when acted upon without consent it becomes incapacitated sexual assault or rape, a serious criminal offence.
Tonight, we unpack the legal and psychological dimensions of this crime, what it tells us about
consent and power, and why the term “sleep” in this context should never be mistaken for consent.