Rape survivor on a mission from Pretoria to Krugersdorp
Rape activist takes on 448km nostalgic walk to support survivors of gender-based violence (GBV).
On 1 September rape survivor and activist, Leilani Kuter, 47, will start a 16-day nostalgic journey, walking 28km per day (448km in total), revisiting significant moments in her life.
Her journey begins where she was born and raised in Pretoria, and along the way she will be visiting her former primary school, high school, the area in which she bought her first property, and finally ends in Krugersdorp where she got married and her ‘new life’ began.
Once again, her walk is focused on raising much-needed funds for rape crisis centres across South Africa on donations-based crowdfunding platform, BackaBuddy. Leilani has already raised a total of R147 154,50 towards her target of R280 000 to empower rape survivors.
Every step of my 2020 challenge will be taken in defiance of systemic violence against women, men and children in celebration of our collective survival spirit. I hope the public will get behind me and support my BackaBuddy campaign,” Leilani said.
“Walking has become a big part of my healing process. As I get older, I’ve learnt that you can’t run away from your past. You need to confront it head-on in order to move on. For this reason, I am going back to the places where I’ve shared both good and bad memories, in hopes of inspiring others to do the same,” she said.
Leilani’s rape ordeal
Leilani was brutally raped and left for dead when she was only 18 years old and living at the NG Kerk Youth Centre in Vermeulen Street, Pretoria. She unknowingly let a dangerous man in his late 20s by the name of Frankie into her room and what followed changed Leilani’s life forever.
“In a split second, he was on top of me. I tried to reason with him but he wouldn’t listen. He strangled me and then raped me so brutally I lost consciousness. He then took a belt from my cupboard and again strangled me, hoping that I would die. I vaguely remember the kitchen knife in my top drawer and weighing up whether or not I should try and reach for it. When he was done, he left me lying naked, bloodied, with a belt wrapped around my neck. My life had changed forever. When the police finally arrived they explained it was the sixth rape case reported in the area in just one week. They were very nonchalant about the rape. Speaking to me, it was as if they were asking me how I liked my eggs done,” said Leilani.
Up until last year, Leilani’s story was in many ways a private family secret.
She has since become an outspoken advocate and voice for women’s rights and against gender-based violence in South Africa. Leilani has also launched a charitable organisation, YellowForSurvivors to raise awareness about rape and sexual abuse.
Sharing my story was one of the hardest things I have ever done, but it taught me so much about the person I am and the woman I want to be. I believe the reason I didn’t die on the 16th of September 1992, is to free others like myself who have experienced unforgettable trauma, and show them that they can overcome and regain control of their lives,” Leilani said.
In September 2019, Leilani began a 27-day journey, covering a distance of 729km to take a stand against sexual assault and gender-based violence in South Africa.
Wearing yellow, the colour her attacker wore, Leilani sought to break the stigma rape carries. She raised over R250 000 on BackaBuddy to support and empower rape survivors throughout the country.
This year, on the 28th anniversary of the traumatic sexual assault that left her for dead and changed her life forever, Leilani once again will tie her takkie laces to shine a spotlight on survival.
To support Leilani’s campaign, make a donation on BackaBuddy here [https://www.backabuddy.co.za/shine-the-spotlight-on-survival]. Alternatively, make a donation via BackaBuddy’s Snapscan here [https://pos.snapscan.io/qr/shine-the-spotlight-on-survival2020].
About BackaBuddy:
• It is a proudly South African crowdfunding platform where individuals have the opportunity to raise funds for causes they feel passionate about.
• It has raised over R197,8 million for various charities, individuals and causes across South Africa.
• Website: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/ • Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BackabuddySA
