Cape Town – It takes strength for the survivors of domestic violence in South Africa to speak out.
“Physical pain. Emotional turmoil. Insults that reduced me to nothing. Jealousy. Lies. Paranoia.
He was a drug addict and a master at mind games. One day, when he couldn’t get inside my head, he smashed a hammer into my head.
The day he used my money to pay for a prostitute, I finally told him to leave. But I was the one to move jobs, move houses!
I secured a restraining order. I faced him in court, and he realised how strong I really was.
Why did I stay so long?
Maybe it was because my father was never around, and I needed the validation of a man.
But after five long years of hell, I am finally free.”
Donate your voice
The Donate Your Voice is an initiative by Joko and POWA (People Opposing Woman Abuse) during this year’s 16 Days of Activism for No Violence Against Women and Children.
With the goal of amplifying the stories of gender-based violence survivors Donate Your Voice has called on the public, celebrities, influencers, DJs and presenters to lend their voices to recite a story.
Call to action
It takes strength for the survivors of domestic violence in South Africa to speak out, help #EndDomesticSilence and donate your voice to get survivor stories heard at www.joko.co.za
Last year, Joko led a call for South Africans to “End the Silence” on domestic and gender-based violence. This year it has amplified that call by asking for survivors to tell their stories.
Powa is calling on survivors from across the country to #DonateYourVoice and tell their individual stories of survival, to demystify the faces and voices behind the statistics. VIDEO: Powa/Joko