Tragic news prompts mother of two to renew abuse case, saying, "My dad raped me for decades."

 

An Elsies River woman, now 38 years old, has spoken out courageously about the sexual abuse she suffered at the hands of her father, who is 73 years old. This happened after she found out her dad had attacked her niece, who was rather young at the time. The woman's first memory of abuse is from when she was eight years old. After her older sister, who was fourteen at the time, escaped from their violent father, he sexually assaulted his youngest daughter in a variety of ways, including orally and vaginally. The fact that her mother disbelieved her and took a side with her attacker only made matters worse. The woman's heart ached at the memory of her father's intimate act on the bedside table. Up until the age of thirteen, she endured unending maltreatment. Upon learning of the incident, her brother took her to the police station without delay so she could lodge a report. But when the woman's mother found out about their actions, she became very angry, and the girl bolted. Her freedom was short-lived, though, for her mother found her and brought her to a day hospital the next day. To further humiliate her and coerce her into dropping the complaint, her mother introduced her to the abuser's relatives. In the present day, the woman learnt that her nieces had experienced the same event. Their claims were rejected due to a lack of proof and the victims' inability to testify due to trauma, notwithstanding their filing of lawsuits demanding relief. With renewed vigour, the woman is bringing her case to the forefront once again. More survivors will feel safe coming forward if she exposes his real nature, she says, and they will be acknowledged and supported regardless of the case's outcome. When children are sexually abused, it can affect their development and overall health in devastating ways. Extreme emotional and psychological trauma is common among victims, and it can have far-reaching consequences for their health, sense of self-worth, and capacity to build healthy relationships. Because of the stigma, fear, and guilt they feel, many survivors of sexual assault choose to remain silent about what happened to them. Can you tell me what Mzansi thinks about this?