‘Don’t wait for it to get worse,’ urges GBV victim
Ms T, who has permanent burn scars and lost her daughter to an abusive relationship about thirteen years ago, is pleading with women to come forward.
After attending an event to discuss different concerns they face as women, most of the women who attended had a chance to voice out their problems and shared their stories.
During the seminar, they pointed out that they are faced with Gender-Based Violence (GBV), relationship problems and related family problems.
They came to share, listen, comfort and support each other as women under the theme: ‘Heart to Heart’.
The event was organised by well-known social personality Ms Frieda Manana, founder of Phanda Mzansi Modelling Agency.
Ms Thembi Maphanga (43) popularly known as Ms T shared her story as well.
Originally from Middelburg, she said she was a survivor of domestic violence in an abusive relationship.
She explained that her partner just decided one day to burn her together with her two-year-old daughter with petrol.
She had to spend a year in a coma and woke to find that her daughter had died.
The incident happened in March 2010.
“My partner decided to hand himself over to the police after being on the run and was denied bail. I became a witness and he was sentenced to 10 years, five years suspended and came out after two and half years through parole. In 2017 my ex-partner committed suicide,” said Ms T.
Ms T’s advice to other women in an abusive relationship is that they must walk away while still early and not wait for the worse. She said it can be done as GBV is a second pandemic in our society.
She believes her daughter’s spirit keeps her going and finds all the strength from it and God has made it possible to overcome all the problems and challenges.
“Nobody is going to tell you to walk away from the relationship. You need all the strength and power because you are on your own. I know it is not easy, but it is a must because abuse will be going on and get worse. It is a God-given gift that I have the strength to keep on living and I owe my life to my daughter to represent her life. The scars are permanent, but I have learnt to accept myself and made peace and move on with life,” concluded Ms T.
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