Rape survivor inspires Tuesday Rostrum

FROM the moment Jes Foord stepped up to the Tuesday Rostrum podium until her talk concluded with sustained and heartfelt applause, the room was charged with positive energy.

A brave, dynamic young rape survivor who has consciously chosen to transform her horrific experiences into something incredibly good, Jes was one of the most inspiring guest speakers the women’s club has ever been privileged to hear.

“The rapists might have taken my body but I decided I wouldn’t let them take my life,” she said.

A talented speaker who uses her sparkling personality and special brand of humour to get across some very serious points, Jes spoke clearly and simply. Her account of the rape was harrowing but she was able to talk about it dispassionately and her listeners marvelled at her courage.

Jes was gang-raped by four men on a peaceful, sunny morning in 2008 when she and her father took their dogs for a walk at Shongweni Dam. They had passed – and even greeted – a group of young men on their way to the dam, little realising the danger the men posed. Suddenly Jes found herself looking down the barrel of a gun.

At first, the five-man gang had been intent on robbing them and stealing their vehicle. However, the fact that they couldn’t get the vehicle started seemed to anger them. They tied her father to a tree and forced him to watch as four of them raped her. They then managed to start the vehicle and flee.

Her terrible experience could have left Jes an emotional wreck. Instead she decided to speak out about her ordeal and to do something about the appalling rape statistics in South Africa.

To highlight these frightening figures, she asked half the guests to stand, pointing out that, if the room represented South Africa and its female population, the standing women would represent the ratio of girls and women rape victims. She then asked everyone except four women to be seated. These women represented roughly the amount of rapes that were reported. One of the standing women was asked to raise her little finger to denote the ratio of rape convictions.

Stressing the importance of reporting rape to prevent more women from becoming the rapists’ victims, she pointed out that professional, compassionate and holistic assistance was available for all victims, around the clock at the Thuthuzela Care Centre at Port Shepstone Regional Hospital. Discussing the low conviction rate she said this was largely because of the low rate of reportage. In her case, the police and related services had been wonderful and the capture and successful conviction of the rapists had been partly due to the fact that she was able to report the attack almost immediately.

Members of the SAPS dog unit had tracked the gang for 16 hours and, exhausted after the gruelling but successful chase they’d had to be airlifted out of the area, she said. Jes also stressed the need for professional help after any trauma. She and her family had undergone intensive counselling and this had proved most valuable. It was helpful to deal with any trauma by writing and talking about it, she said.

Her personal recovery and growth through counselling and determination were just two of the positive developments to come out of such a negative experience. Her motivational talks have inspired many people to do what they can to help rape victims and to do their bit to put the brakes on spiralling rape statistics.

Her biggest accomplishment, however, has been the establishment of the Jes Foord Foundation, an umbrella body for a number of projects, including the setting up of care centres to help rape victims.

Tuesday Rostrum members had donated toiletries for one of these projects, the foundation’s Handbag Project. New or used handbags are donated and these are filled with toiletries, new underwear, encouraging notes and other items that would be needed by rape victims during the initial reporting process.

Jes asked Dudu Ndlovu, the operations manager of Port Shepstone’s Thuthuzela Care Centre to talk about this project and she explained just how moved rape victims were when they were given one of the bags.

She pointed out that all the expert, professional care a rape victim would need was available at the centre, a “one stop shop”. All rape victims should proceed straight to the centre, Dudu said.

Jes also introduced her listeners to Trish Buchanan and Michelle Smith from the Jes Foord Foundation and asked for their input during the lively question and answer session that rounded off her life-affirming and very informative talk.