Open your hearts to victims of abuse

“Sarah” is dropped at the Umhlali Police Station by the strangers who found her stumbling by the side of the road. It is past midnight and a cold, heartless night.

What was meant to be the best party of her life (the culmination of her school career) turned into a night of unimaginable violence.

Her eye is a sightless, purple ball; her arm hangs limply and she battles to breathe through cracked ribs; her shattered teeth are embedded in her lip and rivers of blood are still fresh on her thighs. Her body is broken and so is her soul.

Her courage means she survived – now she has to summon all of it again to face the stares in the charge office and try to explain what happened. It does not feel safe, it feels like another violation.

Imagine Sarah is your daughter, your sister, your wife, your mother – imagine she is you.

Up to now there has been no comfortable place where survivors of abuse could tell their story in private and then find some shelter at the Umhlali Police Station. Captain Vinny Pillay is changing this.

There are now two containers at the station currently being refurbished and turned into sanctuaries.

One is for women (donated by a Salt Rock businessman), the other is for children and teenagers (aged 2 to 18) donated by Checkers.

This is a store initiative to give back to the local community and the container is being modified and refurbished by the new Checkers Ballito Junction and their contractors.

Captain Pillay said he is in a hurry to get the places of shelter (Trauma Crisis Centre) ready before Rage, as this is a time when an already unacceptable rate of rape and abuse in the area, climbs even higher.

This is where you come in. To transform a container into rooms where women and children can seek temporary refuge, have a bed to lay down in, something to eat and drink and above all feel safe, Umhlali SAPS need these items urgently:

• Handbags (for rape victims) that include a face cloth, toothbrush and toothpaste, sanitary pads, soap, small body lotion, deodorant and maybe a small gift.
• Dry food stuffs and drinks, tea/coffee, milk, sugar, juice (Diego of Concha has pledged to provide certain items on an ongoing basis and challenges other local restaurants to do the same).
• Milk formula, nappies, toilet paper, soap, towels, mugs, glasses, teaspoons, toys, bedding and pillows, couch or sleeper couch, easy chairs, cushions and blinds for windows.

Donations can be dropped off at the Station Commander’s office at Umhlali Police Station (speak to Nicole, 032 947 9900), or if you require donations to be fetched please contact Odette Hunlun at 084 779 6017 or Claire Russell at 083 230 3004.

>>  Ready to say ‘I Do’ on the Dolphin Coast? Meet the team ready to advise, help and deliver on your big day.

>>  Visit our Education feature for a collection of all the best schools, tutoring systems, and even some colleges and training facilities on the North Coast.

Do you want to receive news alerts via WhatsApp? Send us a WhatsApp message (not an sms) with your name and surname to 061 718 4438.

Please read our WhatsApp broadcast list disclaimer.
Join us on BBM at 59015786
Join the conversation on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram