At the age of 15, Sarah Smith was brutally gang raped by five men in her hometown of Newlands East.
Now a mother at 42 Smith recalls her friend telling her the brother wanted to talk to her,” I went as I didn’t suspect any bad thing might happen to me”, said Smith. Overpowered by the gang Smith was dragged in the bush and raped by all five gang members. “That was my very first sexual experience”, said Johnson.
Rape in South Africa has reached epidemic proportion with 70% of cases being that of women and the National Child Line believes as many as ten times more cases may be unreported. Smith didn’t report the incident instead she kept this secret to herself for many years not knowing it would affect her.
She suffered depression and was hospitalised for two weeks where she was wrongly diagnosed. Prayer and medication is what got her through.” I am stronger now and for the last three years I have been on the correct medication I was also able to confront one of the perpetrators who was a cousin of my husband, this helped me put closure to the situation”, said Smith. She believes she can help others who have had similar experiences.
With two daughters and a son she empowers them by letting them attend karate lessons Smith said,”This is so they’ll know how to protect themselves, and I emphysise to my son that a woman should be treated with respect“.
sad reality of the world we living in...The question is our perception of the role of women in our society flawed/twisted...if we all went back to the basics and ask ourselves a question..`why did god choose a woman to carry/bring a child into this world and not a man?Surely that automaticaly make her a source of life itself so why would any one want to temper with that?lets respect our women people...simply put its the right thing to do.there`s nothing complicated about that
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