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How emojis can influence sexual harassment cases
Cape Argus
|May 07, 2025
INSIGHT
EMOJI interpretations and sexual connotations in message exchanges came under the spotlight as forensic and legal linguist and researcher Dr Zakeera Docrat took the stand at the Judicial Conduct Tribunal hearing into sexual harassment complaints against Judge President Selby Mbenenge.
Docrat yesterday testified on conversations between complainant Andiswa Mengo and Mbenenge, which she described as starting courteously and professionally but "slowly degenerated" as emojis used in the message exchanges became sexual and flirtatious.
Docrat prefaced her evidence concerning knowledge of interpreting emojis after Griffits Madonsela SC, counsel for Mbenenge, said they did not dispute her qualifications and expertise; however, they disputed "her expertise in emojis".
Docrat submitted that she had, since 2018, researched how emojis are used and related this to the South African context, which is multicultural and multilingual.
This story is from the May 07, 2025 edition of Cape Argus.
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