KwaDukuza repeat rape survivor urges women to get help

A 40-year-old woman who has survived rape more than eight times, encourages women not to bottle up their sorrow but to open up and seek help.

Nazira Mthembu said she was first raped as a five-year-old child while she was staying in Mandeni.

Most recently in 2017 she was raped by two men who offered her a lift from Mandeni to KwaDukuza.

They drove into a sugar cane field where she was beaten up, stripped of her clothes and had all her belongings taken. They then raped her and threw her into a dam.

“I did attend counselling sessions but it was not helping. I avoided speaking up and sometimes would be rude to the counsellors. This turned me into a monster as I could not control my anger. I was fighting with everyone and even got arrested a few times because of this,” said Mthembu through tears.

She said what happened to her almost killed her because she lost all of her self-confidence and no longer cared whether she lived or died.

“I attempted suicide at least five times because I felt there was nothing good for me in this world and no one cared about me. I hated myself.”

She ran away from where she was staying in Groutville and made ends meet as a domestic worker in KwaDukuza. Eventually she was introduced to a Muslim organisation that helped her recover.

“They taught me the importance of forgiveness and eventually I had forgiven everyone who had done wrong to me, including myself. It made all the difference and I now see the importance of not bottling up one’s pain.”

She said the organisation took her in and rented a place for her to stay in one of KwaDukuza’s townships. She is currently unemployed but the organisation is supporting her.

“I want to thank them for what they have done for me because they were able to make me feel like a human again and not judge me for all the things that happened.”

While she is still on a journey of recovery from the trauma she has suffered, Mthembu said she felt it was important to encourage other women to seek help and find someone they can speak to.

“I know there are many women who went through or are still experiencing similar or even worse trauma, but they fear speaking out for different reasons. My advice is to speak up and free themselves from the pain.”

How to get help locally:
• Rise Up Movement: 068 0247568
• Umhlali trauma centre: 032 947 9900
• KwaDukuza Police Station: 032 551 8206
• Thuthuzela Care Centre (KwaDukuza): 032 551 6632

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