Take care of Home.
Today's post is a little late. I apologize for that. I wanted to wait until after the prayer session we had here at work.
Charity begins at home. That is what we always hear.
Today, like last week, is Black Friday for my colleagues and I. We are all clothed in black to show support for rape awareness. Gathered outside, my colleagues came in numbers in their black attire, to take a stand. To pray. To speak out. To show that they are tired of doing nothing. To show that they are willing to stand up and do whatever it takes to stop this violence, not only against women and children, but against men too.
It was just a few weeks ago when we heard about the shocking rape and brutal murder of Anene Booysen. A young girl, who still had so much to look forward to, was taken away from her family and friends in such a shocking manner. But before Anene Booysen, there were many who suffered a similar fate. And sadly, after Anene Booysen, there continues to be many. Many whose names we do not know. Surely this is not who we are as a nation. This cannot be who we have become.
The Medical Research Council estimates that up to 3600 rapes happen daily. This is an alarmingly high number. This is 3600 rapes too many. We live in a world where we no longer feel safe. We no longer trust our brothers and sisters. We have lost our humanity. We have lost our souls.
I have heard countless stories lately. On the radio, the television, from friends, from strangers. Stories that speak of the cruelty that is in the world. Stories that make my heart bleed. Babies, who do not know what life is, are raped before they can even speak; girls who lose their innocence in ways so cruel I cannot even comprehend, boys who are forced to commit acts that make them feel ashamed of who they are, women who are damaged by men they trust, men who are raped and too afraid to speak out. These are the stories that have surfaced lately. These are the stories that scar us as a nation.
I did not write this today because I want to paint a bad picture of South Africa. I wrote this because, although these cruel acts are taking place, I want to show the world that this is not who we are. I want to show the world that we, as South Africans are not okay with this. We will not tolerate this. We will no longer turn a blind eye to this. We will no longer be okay with our sons and daughters being harmed and killed. We will no longer be okay with our mothers and fathers being hurt. We will take a stand against this, because this is not who we are.
A rape is said to be committed in South Africa every four minutes. While we go about our day, doing the things we do every day, doing things that we have come to know, every four minutes, someone is raped. Every four minutes, someone loses a piece of themselves that they will never get back. Every four minutes, our sons and daughters of the soil are scarred. South Africa is said to have 'a culture of violence', this is how the world sees us. But this cannot be the way we see ourselves.
Today, I am inspired by those who have the courage to say 'enough is enough'. I am inpired by those men and women who fight tirelessly to make a difference. I am inspired by those we never see or hear, but work hard to lock those up who hurt our fellow brothers and sisters. I am inspired by those who have been hurt, but have the courage to speak out and make a change. I am inspired by those who have been raped, but are brave enough to help others through their darkness. I am inspired by the heroes we do not know, yet do so much. I am inspired by those who believe we can change our beautiful country for the better. We cannot lose hope. We cannot give up.
Charity begins at home. Let us show our sons what real men are. Let us show our daughters that they do not have to settle. We need to teach the young ones the difference between right and wrong. We need to be an example to them. No one is born a rapist. Just like no one is born a thief or a murderer. Our children need to see more positive examples. They need to see more good than bad. We need to be inspired. We need to do what is right. For our children. For our mothers and fathers. For our country. For humanity. For ourselves. We need to take care of Home.
Charity begins at home. That is what we always hear.
Today, like last week, is Black Friday for my colleagues and I. We are all clothed in black to show support for rape awareness. Gathered outside, my colleagues came in numbers in their black attire, to take a stand. To pray. To speak out. To show that they are tired of doing nothing. To show that they are willing to stand up and do whatever it takes to stop this violence, not only against women and children, but against men too.
It was just a few weeks ago when we heard about the shocking rape and brutal murder of Anene Booysen. A young girl, who still had so much to look forward to, was taken away from her family and friends in such a shocking manner. But before Anene Booysen, there were many who suffered a similar fate. And sadly, after Anene Booysen, there continues to be many. Many whose names we do not know. Surely this is not who we are as a nation. This cannot be who we have become.
The Medical Research Council estimates that up to 3600 rapes happen daily. This is an alarmingly high number. This is 3600 rapes too many. We live in a world where we no longer feel safe. We no longer trust our brothers and sisters. We have lost our humanity. We have lost our souls.
I have heard countless stories lately. On the radio, the television, from friends, from strangers. Stories that speak of the cruelty that is in the world. Stories that make my heart bleed. Babies, who do not know what life is, are raped before they can even speak; girls who lose their innocence in ways so cruel I cannot even comprehend, boys who are forced to commit acts that make them feel ashamed of who they are, women who are damaged by men they trust, men who are raped and too afraid to speak out. These are the stories that have surfaced lately. These are the stories that scar us as a nation.
I did not write this today because I want to paint a bad picture of South Africa. I wrote this because, although these cruel acts are taking place, I want to show the world that this is not who we are. I want to show the world that we, as South Africans are not okay with this. We will not tolerate this. We will no longer turn a blind eye to this. We will no longer be okay with our sons and daughters being harmed and killed. We will no longer be okay with our mothers and fathers being hurt. We will take a stand against this, because this is not who we are.
A rape is said to be committed in South Africa every four minutes. While we go about our day, doing the things we do every day, doing things that we have come to know, every four minutes, someone is raped. Every four minutes, someone loses a piece of themselves that they will never get back. Every four minutes, our sons and daughters of the soil are scarred. South Africa is said to have 'a culture of violence', this is how the world sees us. But this cannot be the way we see ourselves.
Today, I am inspired by those who have the courage to say 'enough is enough'. I am inpired by those men and women who fight tirelessly to make a difference. I am inspired by those we never see or hear, but work hard to lock those up who hurt our fellow brothers and sisters. I am inspired by those who have been hurt, but have the courage to speak out and make a change. I am inspired by those who have been raped, but are brave enough to help others through their darkness. I am inspired by the heroes we do not know, yet do so much. I am inspired by those who believe we can change our beautiful country for the better. We cannot lose hope. We cannot give up.
Charity begins at home. Let us show our sons what real men are. Let us show our daughters that they do not have to settle. We need to teach the young ones the difference between right and wrong. We need to be an example to them. No one is born a rapist. Just like no one is born a thief or a murderer. Our children need to see more positive examples. They need to see more good than bad. We need to be inspired. We need to do what is right. For our children. For our mothers and fathers. For our country. For humanity. For ourselves. We need to take care of Home.
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