Globally, 82 million girls and 69 million boys face sexual violence each year. In South Africa, gender-based violence (GBV) remains a persistent and deeply rooted crisis.
A survivor-centred short film, My Justice, My Voice which premiered in Cape Town, ahead of the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, brings this crisis into focus through the stories of three women who are speaking out to demand real accountability and change.
The film My Justice, My Voice: Speaking up to end childhood sexual violence, made by the Brave Movement, survivors, Rays of Hope and On Our Radar, shows how often abuse happens within families and close circles.
Sheila
“I grew up in a very violent home. When I was seven, someone very close to me, someone I lived with, someone I trusted, was the one who raped me.
It happened again when I was a teenager. Someone who I thought would protect me by all means necessary was the one who was sexually abusing me. Again, he forced himself in my bed, and that was the beginning of the worst three years of my life.
I tried my best to keep it to myself, just to protect my family. When it happened, I kept my mouth shut. I was quiet when I was seven years old. I kept my mouth shut and I did not say a word. Because no one was paying attention. I couldn’t get him arrested”.
Jacque
“When I was 17, there was this person that I knew, he was the [after school drop-off] bus driver. On the day he fetched me from school,I was surprised that we drove past my home. When we arrived at that place, I remained in the car. He then came out and told me to come in and not be afraid.
When I entered, he closed the door and he locked it, and then he raped me. After that, he said to me, don’t tell anyone because I’ll kill you and I’ll kill your family. The fear that he instilled in me, made me blame myself, so I didn’t tell anyone, even my family until a point where I was around seven months pregnant. I then had my daughter, Thabile”.
Thabile (Jacque’s daughter)
“I did not believe that I could be that child that was born out of rape. The first time I heard it, it crushed me. It broke me into pieces. There was a lot of rejection in the community, society and family. But then at the age of 17, I was also raped by a friend. He even broke a bottle and then he placed it on my neck and told me, if I don’t cooperate, he’s going to kill me right here.
I started blaming myself that I could have prevented this. Why me? Why did he do it to me? We went to the police station here in Alexandra, and I opened up a case in the court. He was smiling and laughing while I was being asked questions. I got justice, but inside I was hurting. Now I have healed and I chose not to be silent”.
For Sheila, Jaque and Thabile, sharing their experiences is an encouragement to other women to not stay silent and also lobby governments to take a stand. “To our world leaders out there, we need you to hold hands as different countries and fight this pandemic; fight the scourge of sexual violence, especially in our children, because those children are our future”, says Sheila. – Health-e News
