EDITOR – I was pleased when I read about rapists being given life sentences for what they had done to the poor girl mentioned in a story in your last issue dated Friday, 19 June. We hear about cases like these all the time and it seems like it is becoming background noise, I can almost feel society losing its grip on such devastating matters.
My heart goes out to this girl; no matter what she has done in her life, or whatever harm she had inflicted upon another, did not deserve this cruelty. Justice was served, but what happens to her now? There is no doubt that she now has the burden of the trauma to carry with her to the grave – will she ever be herself again? Will this now affect the way she sees men?
Speaking of which, when will we unite, take a stand and stop pointing fingers by saying it is so-and-so’s child and not my problem? I believe in the premise that all children are ours, and perhaps the breakthrough with which to treat this problem is from the roots. We have to collectively and actively do something and do away with the blame game.
This young lady was 18 years old at the time of the incident, she still has her whole life ahead of her. I pray that this experience does not change her destiny. I pray for all women who have become statistics, whether the crimes were reported or not, or justice served or not. Not one deserves such cruelty.
And lastly, I pray for these young men, who had so much potential but are blind somehow.
Lisakhanya
Pinetown
