“I live my life in fear” #16DaysOfActivism

My name is Smangele Mzelemu I'm 22 years old from Kwanzimakwe under Ugu District in Ray Konyeni municipality, I went to Nombuso high school and I finished my matric last year.

The person I'm reporting about had a wish to remain anonymous because she is scared for her life, she is 19 years old living in Durban where she is doing her first year at varsity. She has been through a lot in her life but she never loses hope because she strongly believes in a phrase that says "This too shall pass".

What makes this girl to feel unsafe is the fact that she was raped on her way back from school and this incident happened last year as she was walking by herself on the road. A man came and dragged her to a nearby forest where she was raped several times.

She tried to scream but nobody heard her as this man threatened to kill her if she tries to scream again, she was frightened and scared because she says she never thought this might happened to her.

After the man had raped her, he made her swear that she will never tell anyone if she still values her life. He just left her bleeding and she started to cry for help but still nobody came to her rescue. She tried and dragged herself out of the forest as she felt helpless and she said as no one was there to help her.

She was found unconscious by a woman who knew who she was and she was taken to a clinic where she was given ARV's to prevent her from being infected with HIV and pills to stop pregnancy.

She says she never thought she would be a victim of rape even though the perpetrator was caught and given a life sentence, she says she is not the person she used to be she feels like there is something stolen from her since she was a virgin she also mentions that she doesn’t trust any man and feels unsafe to walk by herself on the street.

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