Human rights violation: ‘Raped by my uncle’
'Every day when I think about what happened to me, I cry all day long.'
RAPE is one the most heinous crimes imaginable, and is a gross violation of a person’s basic human rights. Today, Friday, March 21, Human Rights Day, is a fitting time to examine South Africa’s shocking rape statistics and to hear one child’s harrowing account of her ordeal.
Sadly, 45 percent of rapes reported to police are child rapes. Fifty percent of South Africa’s children will be abused before the age of 18, according to the Tears Foundation and the Medical Research Council.
Below is the heart-wrenching statement written by a 12-year-old girl raped by her uncle, who was a pastor. The man was recently sentenced to life in prison by the Port Shepstone Regional Court.
‘Everyday when I think about what happened to me, I cry all day long. I become so emotional. Sometimes I sit alone. If I had the opportunity I would kill him for what happened to me. I feel like he has taken my everything. I don’t see my future anymore. I never told my friends because I don’t think they would understand. When people ask me about my life I feel like they will judge me.
‘What people say is forgive, forgive and forget, it is easy to say then it’s done. I never told anyone because I don’t want anyone to know what happened. I hate myself for what happened. I don’t want to see this man again. If he comes back I will kill myself.
‘Please God help me. I don’t see him ever again, I take away my life or go away from people I love. So, God why me? Oh God, I know you love me but why me out of all the people, why me? That is what I ask myself.
‘I lost weight because I don’t eat, and I cry when I think about this. Please God have faith in me. I have no say to him but what he did is bad. I have to forget and forgive, but it is hard. But I don’t know that I will ever look at him.
‘When life go on I think I will forget but for now, I hate him a lot. You have to stay there for the rest of your life. You are the last person I want to see in my life. Why don’t you die and make the world a better place.
‘At home where we were living, we moved out and found a new home. I made some new friends and life is good. I don’t go play, I sit alone. What I do the most, I cry. I look at the good side of life. Sometimes I feel happy and everyone likes me. I am a happy child. There is nothing more to say. At school everything is good. Loving everything. Nice.’
