Lesbians at risk of anti-women violence - Cameron

Johannesburg - Lesbians are at particular risk of anti-women violence, Judge Edwin Cameron said on Friday.

"Anti-lesbian violence is a specific form of anti-women violence because lesbians challenge men to rethink gender conceptions," he told a discussion on sexual orientation at the University of Johannesburg.

"But all women, too many women in South Africa and too many children [are at risk]... we have a long way to go."

Cameron was responding to the murder of an 18-year-old girl who was raped and murdered earlier this month in Ventersdorp in the North West.

It was reportedly believed to be "corrective rape" because the woman was a lesbian.

Cameron said more public spokespersons were needed on the protection of women and advocating against violence, but also advocating for same-sex orientation.

Cameron, a Constitutional Court judge, is an openly HIV positive, gay man.