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My name is Limpho and I live at Majapereng in the district of Mohale’s Hoek. I was born in 1997. I was raped by a man who was 31 years old. That man was living near my place and I knew him because he played soccer in my village. On that day I went to town and it was a holiday, it was in April this year.
I was on public transport and apparently I was with the abuser although I did not know it because there were too many people in the taxi and I did not know him. We were just passengers and it looked like the taxi was going to drop us at the same stop, unless he wanted to be dropped there because he wanted to see me. It was raining and it was dark, so when we were dropped he pretended as though he was waiting near the shack hiding from the rain and I did not stop, I ran home because I was aware that it was getting very dark.
When I was about to cross a very small river I saw somebody where I was going to pass and I started to run, but he also ran and when I was about to see houses he came and grabbed me and pushed me down and kicked me, I was bleeding and I was in the deep mud because it was raining, I tried to call for help and my phone rang, he answered it and took my numbers, I did not know who he was talking to and I did not know what he was saying because I was very nervous and crying, but he told me that even if I cried nobody would come and help me.
He undressed and raped me, I tried to fight him, but he was older than me and very powerful. When he was done he ran away and left me there helpless, it was very dark by that time and raining, I was afraid that somebody would come again and rape me once more, either him or somebody else. When I had my wet clothes on, I finally found my way home.
The next morning we reported the matter to the chief and we went to the police and very fortunately the police managed to arrest the perpetrator after a month, but he was not locked up and we were given another date to appear in the court, but he did not appear. People said he ran away. He said he did not rape me but I did not understand why he ran away. What is hurting is why the police let him go, because he committed a crime. I wonder if they really expected that he would go to that hearing. I am no longer comfortable and I always think I might meet him and he would rape me again and kill me.
A man aged 31 years old raped a girl of 15 years and he is still out there, he is a free man, a dangerous person like him, what if he rapes another person or kills them? I hate it every day when I think about that man and that he is still out there. I would like the justice system to take into consideration my grievances and those of all people who have been there. Abuse has taken place and the law has to take its course. He was not supposed to get bail in the first place and now where will they find him. That is my biggest worry and my fear because as long as he is still out there he is going to commit the same crime or even worse.
*Not her real name
This story is part of the “I” Stories series produced by the Gender Links News Service 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
One thought on “Lesotho: I was raped when I was 15”
sorry to the lady who experienced such a horrific ordeal. Let those savages know that the same tool they used to ravage somebody will soon be the most regrettable member of their bodies