#sashutdown

05 September 2019

South Africa is plagued by Gender Based Violence (GBV).

The country’s femicide rate is now five times higher than the global average.

This week South Africans have collectively mourned after the rape and murder of a young university student (Uyinene Mrwetyana). Her death resonates throughout South Africa among both womxm and men, largely because of the circumstances. She was raped and murdered in broad daylight going to the post office.

Protests have been initiated across the country in hopes of legislative and attitudinal changes.

I'm sharing this information because it deserves attention, she deserves attention, we as womxm deserve to feel safe.

(I know this isn't studyblr related but as a young South African female this issue has a direct impact on my everyday life.)

This week I am filled with so much heartache and hatred.

Heartache for all the girls we've lost to rape and murder. My heart bleeds for Uyinene, Leighandre, Jesse, Lynette, Amy-Lee.

My heart bleeds for the 30+ women who were raped and murdered during the month of August 2019 alone while their perpetrators walk free.

I am filled with so many emotions for the one year old who was raped by a 57 year old man. 57 years old and you rape a one year old? You decide to rape another person? I am filled with disgust, horror, hatred, anger.

Today I am filled with so much hatred and disgust for the justice system in South Africa. Hatred for Uyinene's murderer who smiled during the court proceedings; who claimed Uyinene put up a fight and struggled to die while he bludgeoned her to death with a scale; who had four other bodies buried in his backyard, his wife included. Hatred for Leighandre's murderer boyfriend who shot her along with her mother. Hatred for Jesse and her grandfather's murderer who simply walked into a space she thought safe (her own home), raped her and murdered both her and her grandfather. Hatred for Lynette's murderer who decided that simply killing her wasn't enough- he had to chop her up and dump her body.

I am filled with hatred because in the midst of all this femicide, men still turn it around to #NotAllMen. Yes, all men because I have to live in fear everyday not knowing what man I can trust and what man I cannot. I don't know who might have good intentions and who might have bad intentions. If you claim to be part of #NotAllMen, why are you making this entire protest against femicide as well as general murders about your ego? About your pride? Why is it that you reassuring yourself that you're a "good guy" is more important than the many lives we've lost during August - a month meant to celebrate women?

The only good news is that while Amy-Lee was kidnapped- snatched right out of her mother's hands- she returned home safely and unharmed. What kills me is that she was kidnapped in the first place.

Today I am even more upset at the fact that an 11 year old boy was raped in his place of worship and his rapist got out on R1000 bail because he has "no previous offences, stays far from the victim and doesn't seem like he will do it again." A life ruined and another saved due to the lack of justice in South Africa.

I am incredibly sad that a special needs student was raped by his class educator and got no media coverage at all.

If we care about femicide, we need to care about homicide in all its shapes and forms.