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It all happened one morning when I was going to the field. The fields are very deserted places, in some there are dongas that have to be crossed to get to them, like my own. As a Mosotho woman aged 50, I and my husband used to go there early in the morning, at about 5 o’clock. My husband was not well that morning when I went alone; it was already light outside when I left home.
We as farmers did not want to go for a day without going to our farms because we believe that if we do not go for a day the weeds will cover the farms. I went with my hoe on my back, walking down the donga I saw a man herding his cattle, as usual I just passed by him and even greeted him, passing without suspecting anything but I did not see him coming after me. Just before I came up I saw three men standing in my way. I went out of the way so that I did not disturb them, just when I was about to pass they said that they were waiting for me and why did I walk as if I did not see them.
I was shocked at what could be happening in my life at that time. I felt so cold yet I was sweating, I felt like screaming but there was no voice to do so and even if I did no one would hear me, we were inside the donga. The one who was coming after me held the back of my neck and told me that they had got me. The young man grabbed so hard and pulled me down, I was begging him not to rape me, which was a joke indeed to beg a rapist not to rape me. It was as though he did not even hear me; he got on top of me and raped me.
The rapist left me helpless, by the time I thought of getting up the other one was on top of me, and the last one, by the time they were done I was unconscious. I woke up in the hospital where the doctor said that I was infected with sexually transmitted diseases, the doctor told me that the rapists were sick or at least one of them was. My husband was there because he followed me to the farm when he felt a bit better to check how I was doing. That is when he heard that someone had rushed me to the hospital. They had passed me lying down when they were going to their own farm.
People can be so wicked sometimes, that is what I met on my way to my husband’s farm, as I said it was not dark, and I could easily identify the culprits. I passed by them now and then when going to the farm; even if I did not know all of them at least one would bring out the others. They are all in prison each serving fifteen years, charged with rape. My husband blamed himself for that act because he said that he could have stopped me from going and while he could but did not, instead he let me fall into the hands of the merciless rapists.
I did not blame my husband at all instead I saw that he was very supportive and loving, when I was weak he stood by me. I had always asked myself why fall into the hands of a gang of rapists who would leave someone half dead. So as women the most important thing is that we have to walk in safe places at safe times. There are animals in our societies who need to be kept an eye on. Even though it is hard to go through such an experience and come back brave, women need to be brave enough to report this kind of act.
Being raped is like being cut with something that is very valuable; it hurts the body and the soul. All the people need to stand against this kind of abuse. When someone came to me to ask me to write about this kind of thing I thought maybe it would benefit me more than the one reading it, indeed it has because I feel as though the burden that was heavy has been removed from me.
This story is part of the “I” Stories series produced by the Gender Links encouraging the view that speaking out can set you free.
📝Read the emotional article by @nokwe_mnomiya, with a personal plea: 🇿🇦Breaking the cycle of violence!https://t.co/6kPcu2Whwm pic.twitter.com/d60tsBqJwx
— Gender Links (@GenderLinks) December 17, 2024
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