BREAKING THE SILENCE: A PATH TO JUSTICE FOR SURVIVORS

The silence surrounding GBV has devastating effects on victims. When survivors are silenced, they are denied the opportunity to share their stories, seek help, and access justice. Silence perpetuates the power dynamics that allow GBV to thrive, enabling perpetrators to continue their abuse without accountability.

The consequences of silence are dire:

- Increased trauma and suffering for victims
- Perpetuation of GBV cycles
- Reinforcement of harmful gender stereotypes and norms
- Delayed or denied access to essential services and support
- Erosion of trust in institutions and communities

Breaking the silence is crucial to:

- Empower survivors to speak out and seek help
- Hold perpetrators accountable for their actions
- Create a culture of consent and respect
- Provide access to essential services and support
- Foster a society that values and upholds human rights and dignity

By amplifying survivors' voices and stories, we can create a world where GBV is not tolerated, and justice is served.

I still remember the day I saw the bruises on Nabitha's face. She had been hiding them behind a mask of makeup and silence. But that day, she finally found the courage to speak up and share her story. It was a moment of raw courage that sparked a fire within me. I realized that I had been complicit in the silence, and it was time to take a stand.

Together, we can unmask the silence and create a world where survivors are heard, believed, and empowered to heal. A world where gender-based violence is not tolerated, and justice is served.

Let's join forces to amplify survivors' voices, educate ourselves and others, create safe spaces, support survivors in their journey, and demand justice. We can be the change we want to see. Will you join me in this fight?

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AWAKENING: STORIES UNTOLD, STORIES UNHEARD AND STORIES UNREAD

Correct me if I am wrong, but I remember all the words you like to say behind closed doors. She whispered in my ear “I take you as you are and you will be. I won’t try to change you but I will ride out change with you. I see you and I will never ask you to be less or more.” With words so charming and full of meaning, that’s how she destroyed me. I have been awed and terrified by the experience of being in love to the extent that when it’s love, I’d rather close the book and put it back on the shelf. I do not know how to hate no matter how much I have been wronged. I met Tuseke when I had gone for my usual check-up at the hospital. She was there to visit her grandmother who was gravely ill and on admission. She had asked for directions to get to the elderly female ward, that was just the same way to Doctor Mayepi’s office. My all time go to health practitioner. We walked hand in hand and talked about a few things on science and medicine. She hated being around the hosp...

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Let me be a man who will never compromise the truth but rather speak of the truth in love. Let me be bold and be trusting you in all things that are worrisome to me. Let me heal all my wounds instead of spreading the pain. Let me outgrow all the spaces I have shrank myself to fit. Let me pick up courage with my hands even when I am not sure of how strong they are to hold it all.

LIVIA'S BOOKLET

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