Lesotho: I was gang raped
<!-[if gte mso 9]>
<!-[if gte mso 9]>
The date was 3rd September 2011. I left my home with two friends of mine to collect speakers which were lent to a family in the village that had held a feast. While we were waiting for the speakers, two of our friends left and we did not know where they had gone. I was left with one friend known as Motsokoane.
As it was getting late in the afternoon we tried to look for the other two friends but could not find them. We then decided to go back to our homes.
Along the way as we were going home we came across two men. They were familiar. It was not the first time I had seen them. They then followed us volunteering to accompany us, but we told them we needed no company. This was where they promised to beat us up with the sticks they were carrying. On the way we came across four other men who were clad in blankets and had their faces covered. They looked us in the face and we asked them who they were and what they wanted, but they did not answer. We passed them and walked towards home, still followed by the two who had been following us from the outset.
When we approached a public water tap near our home, the two who were following us went back, and I and my friend proceeded towards our home. At this time it was around 19.00 hours.
Out of the blue there were stones hurled at us, and upon closer inspection I realised that the very people who were following us were the people who were throwing stones at us. My friend must have realised this before I did because she had already run for dear life. I was running towards the gate to my home when I noticed a number of people in front of me. I turned back, running to the house of our neighbour where I knocked and shouted frantically, but all in vain. The lady of the house asked me who I was; and I responded and asked her to open as I was surrounded by people armed with sticks. She did not open.
Then two of the men approached me and pulled me from the door forcefully, disregarding my objections. They pulled me while I was shouting and screaming for help. They were also beating me with their sticks and fists, and kicking me indiscriminately. I was still screaming for help but nobody cared to open the door. I also did not see the faces of these men as they had their faces covered.
They then carried me away and stuffed my mouth so that I could not shout. They carried me towards a gorge although we did not get to the gorge as I was ferociously struggling to free myself. For a moment I managed to escape, but I could not run any distance as my whole body was aching as a result of the beatings. They caught up with me, started beating me again and pulled me to a rocky area where they ordered me to take my clothes off. When I refused one of them got hold of me while another one started tearing my clothing with a knife, and in the process I suffered a cut on my stomach.
Then one man forced me to the ground, took off my pants and raped me. They then carried on raping me one after another. They were also surprised, but brutally so, to realise that I was still a virgin. They had no condoms on. After what seemed like eternity they cut my cheek with a knife saying they were giving me a permanent mark.
They then took me to another adjacent gorge that also had a stream. My clothes were thrown into the water and I was asked to retrieve them. When I refused they pushed me in the stream. It was very deep as the water reached my neck. They pulled me out as they realised I could not swim. I was so tired and my whole body was sore and stiff; I could hardly do anything. While I lay still on the ground they thought I was dead and decided to abandon me. I took advantage of the situation and lay still for some time so that they were sure I was really dead. They were no fools. One of them pulled my tongue and I reacted impulsively. They then ordered me on my feet and followed me towards my home while hurling unprintable insults.
We were joined on the way by two other men who also raped me. I was warned against reporting the matter to anybody as I would be killed. They were forcing me to walk and I could not. The best I could do was crawl. They then pushed me hard and I fell into a ditch. Mercifully they could not find me as it was very dark. It was just past midnight. After a little time I struggled towards home. I slept at my friend's home and proceeded home the following morning in the company of my friend.
The house at which I was abducted, whose owner could not open the door for me, was abuzz with people and I was called there. My grandmother, aunt and uncle asked me what had happened; and upon explaining, my aunt said she wished they had killed me as she thought I asked for it.
My uncle asked me to report the matter to the chief after which the chief asked us to report the matter to the police and to see a doctor; but ironically my aunt reprimanded my uncle for what he was doing for me. I reclined at home, preferring to be alone.
I am the youngest in a family of five children, with my sisters working in Johannesburg and my brother working for a security company in Maseru. Another sister was working in Mohale's Hoek.
I called my sister in Mohale's Hoek and related the whole story to her. She, in turn, called my brother in Maseru and we all went together to the police who recorded my statement and issued me with a medical form to see a doctor. I was tested for pregnancy and HIV and AIDS, and given medication that would deal with the virus should it occur.
*Not her real name
This story is part of the "I" Stories series produced by the Gender Links News Service encouraging the view that speaking out can set you free.
