'We are a broken society'

Cape Town - Two Cape Flats women said the areas they lived in had a huge impact on the abuse they suffered. A 67-year-old from Manenberg, whose identity is being withheld, said she suffered years of rape and abuse at the hands of someone she knew and also his sons later.

“The abuse and rape went on for many years and I just accepted it.

“I was scared to talk to anyone about it, because I was scared they would kill me.

“They told me they would. For weeks at a time I would not leave my house because I was scared they would see me.

“Even old women are living in fear in Manenberg, because the rapists do not care how old you are. There is no respect for old people anymore,” she said.

A young rape survivor from Tafelsig, Mitchells Plain, said it took her a long time to talk about her ordeal. The 21-year-old said the first time she talked about the rapes people did not believe her.

“When I first went to lay a charge the first detective persuaded me to withdraw it. But later another detective helped me.

“Everyone blamed me for what happened and they said it was my fault. They even said I would not win the case if I laid a complaint. I was 19 years old when it happened and did not know what to do at the time. It was only when an organisation in Tafelsig started to help me that I realised, I should do something about it. “They gave me advise and assistance.

“Today the case is in court and and I am very relieved. It was hard because people respected him in the community and he came across as a very caring person.

“My family also liked him, because he always brought us food. People who knows him, could not believe it,” she said.

Joanie Fredericks chairperson and co-founder of the Mitchells Plain Crisis Forum, said: “It was not easy for rape survivors to speak out, because they think people will not believe them”.

“Some decide not to lay any charges. When we heard about the 21-year-old woman’s case we immediately assisted her. Just recently there was another case of a 7-year-old child who was raped in Tafelsig. The community was totally outraged by the incident and wanted to hurt the suspect. Because it is hard to contemplate how grown men can do this to young children. It is happening more frequently,” she said.

The grandfather of the five-year-old child who was also raped in Tafelsig, said the family was still traumatised by it. He said: “She was a brave little girl who identified him.

“She still has a lot of nightmares. And the rape is still going to impact on her life,” he said.

Ambassadors for Change director Delicia Williams, said she was affecting the community through counselling.

“We are a broken society and we need counselling. But because I am also a pastor I cannot afford to slow down, but I do get tired. The work has its toll, because if the community needs you in the middle of night, you have to go. Community work has no time. And sometimes you also lose track of time, because you want to help so much. I had health problems before.

“So your health also suffers in the process. The other day one of my children told me not to forget my grandchild’s birthday party,” she said.

Cape Argus