Good Morning Angels Follow-Up: Long walk to overcome rape and violence

BACKGROUND:  South Africans have had enough of sexual violence against women and children. Women and men have marched against the unacceptably high rates of rape, sexual abuse, murder in Cape Town and Sandton, as official Police stats show that over the past year, an average of 114 rapes has been reported every day. This, as Stats SA found that only 1 in 9 rapes are reported in South Africa. A more accurate reflection of the rape reality in the country, therefore, is that on average 1026 rapes are committed every day in South Africa - that's 42 every hour. President Cyril has responded by calling a joint sitting of Parliament today (18 September) to discuss the issues and solutions.  

Last month, Good Morning Angels introduced you to Leilani Kuter, a 45-year old rape survivor. Leilani’s mission: to walk 27 kilometres for 27 days in five provinces, to give a voice to rape survivors - but also to raise funds for those who assist victims of this all too every-day crime in South Africa. It was also a way for Leilani to put purpose to her journey of overcoming her ordeal - after she was raped and left for dead 27 years ago. Like in so many instances, Leilani’s rapist was never arrested or brought to justice.

Official Police stats for 2019 show that over the past year, an average of 114 rapes has been reported every day. This, as Stats SA found that only 1 in 9 rapes are reported in South Africa. A more accurate reflection of the rape reality in the country, therefore, is that on average 1026 rapes are committed every day in South Africa - that's 42 every hour. 

For 45-year old Leilani Kuter from Roodepoort, these are not just figures and statistics. 

27 years ago, she was raped and left for dead.

Leilani’s rapist was never found and brought to justice.  

To mark this day and her journey to overcome the ordeal that changed her life, Leilani will be walked 27 kilometres a day, for 27 days.

It was to create awareness and to encourage silent rape survivors to speak out.

Leilani is also raising funds for comfort packs and counselling for survivors of rape.

She’s managed to raise R60 000,00 so far and is hoping to end on at least R270 000,00.

Follow Leilai’s journey: https://www.facebook.com/LeilaniDD/

Leilani is not oblivious to the fact that her story and her journey would not solve South Africa’s rape problem, however, she feels that doing what she can, is better than doing nothing.

After setting a target of R270 000,00 - she managed to raise R 406 000,00 and counting.

Today, she will start distributing these funds to organisations who assist rape victims - she has been able to progress from recipient, to Angel … 

YOU CAN HELP:  Support Leilani’s walk to raise awareness and funds here

https://protect-za.mimecast.com/s/iL2BCzmlGNiw00EHgfXPK?domain=backabuddy.co.z

ANGEL: Leilani Kuter, Rape Survivor

SPONSORING: Leilani will this morning donate R27 000,00 each to five organisations that assist rape victims or initiatives to prevent rape - that’s a total of R 135 000,00!

RECIPIENT 1: Lizel van Eeden from Matla A Bana  

Info: Matla A Bana was founded in 2001 by hostage survivor, Monique Strydom, to give a voice to child rape survivors. The Organisation assists 30 000 children a year. Read more: http://matlaabana.co.za 

RECIPIENT 2: Annarie du Plessis from the Go Purple Foundation    

Info: The GO PURPLE project is an awareness campaign in honour of women and men who have not just survived rape or violence but who have also forgiven. The Project assists survivors to deal with and triumph over their ordeal, trains victim supporters and influences legal policies that impact on rape survivors. Read more: https://annarigopurple.wixsite.com/go-purple

RECIPIENT 3: Nomfundo Myeza from Child Welfare SA Nelspruit 

Info: Since 1937 Child Welfare SA Nelspruit has been rendering valuable services as a community based, non-governmental organization, with the object to relieve social problems experienced by children and their families. Read more: https://www.childwelfarenel.org.za/index.php/about-us/overview

RECIPIENT 4: Tina Thiart from 1000Women 

Info: In 2014 the 1000 Women Trust was registered, in collaboration with the Women’s Hope Education and Training Trust, to mobilise women to join the initiative, to show solidarity and to invest in grassroots women who work hard to eradicate violence against women and children. Read more: https://www.1000women.co.za/about-us/ 

RECIPIENT 5: Martin Pelders from Matrix Men 

Info: Matrix Men is a peer support group that was started by Martin Pelders, himself a survivor of childhood sexual abuse. Matrix Men is the first SA support group set up purely for male survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse and Adult Sexual Assault and offers counceling and assistance to male survivors. Read more: https://www.matrixmen.org

Leilani's Route: 

Ntombisintu Mfunzi, Comrades runner and rape survivor from the Eastern Cape

BACKGROUND: Resilient Eastern Cape rape survivor, Ntombisintu Mfunzi on Sunday joined thousands of runners in the Comrades Marathon, but she has a special mission: to encourage women throughout South Africa to reclaim their dignity against adversity. Mfunzi's world was torn apart on November 12, 2016, when the 37-year-old was raped while preparing to take part in a race to raise awareness of diabetes in Tsolo, in the Eastern Cape. Her attacker bludgeoned her with a hammer and raped her but did not strike the final blow that could have left her dead. 

“I remember him telling me that he did not have it in him to kill me. I managed to convince him not to do so by praying and pleading with him not to kill me, but he said his problem was that I was going to remember him,” she recalls. “I am amazed at the words of encouragement and support from people I’ve never met; some of them have also been victims, like myself, but they’ve never told their husbands that they were raped.

“... talking about it heals, it’s really what has helped me. I don’t think I could have felt this way if I had kept quiet; staying silent kills the most. Healing starts by accepting, as painful as it is, what has happened. I’ve never asked for this, it happened, it’s irreversible, so I’m left with two options: let it destroy my life or I write and speak about it. God has given me a second chance, I must rise above it. This is what I’m going to do.”