A fight against domestic abuse

MELVILLE- Four women ran 42 marathons in 42 days to raise awareness around domestic violence and you have a chance to watch the documentary they created telling their story.

August 25, 2014

Ancillar Mangena 1 minute read

Retha Schutte and Lindsay van Aswegen on the Lighthouse Run. The ran 17 000 km to raise awareness on domestic abuse.

There will be a live documentary screening on 26 August at the Lighthouse on 7th Street in Melville. The documentary features four women who are survivors of abuse telling their life story and sharing their triumphs and tribulations.

The Lighthouse Run is a 45-minute documentary about these women who ran 42 marathons in 42 days, touching 42 lighthouses along the way from Umhlanga to Patenoster.

Lindsay van Aswegen, Machelle Bremmer and Retha Schutte, on the Lighthouse Run in 2012 to raise awerness on domestic abuse. — Lindsay van Aswegen, Machelle Bremmer and Retha Schutte, on the Lighthouse Run in 2012 to raise awareness on domestic abuse.

The documentary was produced by a local couple, Tanya Vandenberg and Sean Gardiner, living and working in Melville.

“The run happened in 2012 and we have been working on the documentary since. I am very happy about the way it came out and, most of all, proud of these women who have gone through so much sadness but are powerful and are sharing their life story,” says Vandenberg.

Retha Schutte during the Lighthouse Run. She is an abuse survivor and shares her story with the world to encourage women to speak out.

The screening is free, and Retha Schutte, founder and endurance runner, will be there to answer questions about her incredible story.

“The run and the documentary was Retha’s journey to heal from her past. Her dad committed suicide when she was nine – after years of abusing his family,” comments Vandenberg.

“It doesn’t matter what country you are in as women, if abused in any way, we have to support each other,” she adds.

As survivor of abuse herself, Vandenberg reckons that “it is unusual for women not to be abused in a certain way and this must change. It is her hope that this documentary and the Lighthouse run will be a driving force of this change.

“We want to break the silence and encourage women to speak out when abused because not speaking about it makes domestic abuse underreported and society can never tackle the problem properly,” she adds with enthusiasm.

Vandenberg and those involved in this project also want to start a national conversation and create a community were women are safe to speak because “it may take years for women to speak out.”

The Lighthouse Run Foundation will be going into schools from September to encourage pupils through the documentary and motivational speaking, to be strong and speak out if abused.

Details: www.lighthouserun.co.za