Buki Deen, beaten to within an inch of her life on February 12, Karabo Mokoena, burnt beyond recognition and dumped in a veld on April 22, Adele Fisher-Peters, shot on May 14 after a failed hijacking, Bongeka Phungula and Popi Qwabe, whose bodies were discovered in an open field in Naledi, Lerato Moloi, openly lesbian, body found in Naledi on May 14, suspected corrective rape.

These women were just a few who made headlines with their deaths. Violence against women seems to have accelerated during this Women’s Month, with reports of well-known men abusing their partners and having to attend court cases covered by the media but how many victims are left unknown and unheard of?

Sanele Mabuza a nineteen-year-old from Riverlea recited a poem last week about her relationship which turned into an abusive one.

“It hit me…the same hand I held in public was the same hand that had me begging for mercy…I hated revealing that because the moment people knew they never asked why he hit me, but that I had issues.

“You know what hit me the hardest was when I had to hear the truth that in the same breath that he said ‘I love you’ he’d always leave me bruised,” said Mabuza as she ended her poem.

She got to share her story at an 8 km walk against violence against women, which was held by a fitness brand Fitness Chance in Riverlea.

The brand, according to founder Clint Mathavhatha, was birthed to give everyone a chance to maintain their fitness at a low cost.

“Today isn’t about Fitness Chance, it’s about our women, we need to take a stand against it. We’re always complaining about the president or the government but what are we doing as the people?

“We had a community walk so that people could interact with each other and bring awareness to the streets,” said Mathavhatha.

Co-founder Katlego Mokwena had 15 minutes of intense Taibo sessions at every kilometer met with participants and said, “Today I decided to do a short poem about what happened to me.

“At the tender age of 15, I was dating an 18-year-old who I’d like to call ‘the monster’, but it was a very tough experience for me, but I got to find a way to get through it without professional advice from psychologists.

“I decided to take it upon myself and I found the strength to do it all alone. Just know that you are not alone, there are many who experience it. You can speak out. Be the voice within yourself,” said Mabuza.

The group walked through the streets of Riverlea with banners, songs of hope and women speaking out about their experiences at the hands of abusive partners.

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News site 1: Westside-Eldos Urban News, News site 2: Soweto Urban News