CREATE SAFE SPACE FOR WOMEN THIS XMAS

 Sir,

I wrote this open letter as a national call to create a safe space for woman this festive season, where they will walk on the streets, homes and communities without fearing for their lives or having to look over their shoulders.

I am calling on Eswatini men to be our sisters’ keepers; no form of abuse should happen to our sisters and mothers while we are around. Let us protect our sisters.
A lady will wake up, take a bath, put on a crop-top and skirt, leave the house and get raped by a man in the street. Another girl will wake up, take a bath, put on a jersey and long trousers, leave the house and get raped by her friend’s brother in the park.

Wait let’s try this; a girl wakes up, does not take a bath, sits on the couch, watches TV and she still gets raped by her uncle at home. A girl will wake and dress mannerly and flee to a safe space in church but still gets raped by the pastor.

Another girl will decide not to wake up at all, remain in bed and gets raped by her boyfriend. No matter what girls do or wear, their stories end with them being raped by the people who should be protecting them and making the environment a safe space for them. Are we ever going to have a space where women will be free from the fear of being abused?

Escape

Where do we expect our sisters to run to when they are raped at home, in their safe spaces; where do we expect them to run to when even their teachers at school, who are supposed to impart knowledge to them, neglect that responsibility and start exploiting them sexually? Where will women escape to when even the ‘righteous’ pastors who are believed to be spiritual fathers start sexually abusing them in the name of God?

They use the name and house of God to seduce and abuse women who have come to churches to hide from the cruel world and they find the same cruelty there. Now where will they turn to in order to be safe? Do we really have a safe space in this country for women? Even those in power who should be advocating for the safe spaces for women are busy preying and dining on these vulnerable souls.

What is the joy of being a woman when you constantly feel deep inside you that you are the next victim, when you know the only reason a male figure is nice to you is simply because he is luring you in order to massage his selfish ego and abuse you.

It is enough, women should not be abused in our communities while we are there as men. Let us rise and stand against anyone who abuses women. Let us advocate for a space in our societies where women will be treasured and treated with dignity. We will not realise Vision 2022 while we abuse women. Let us stop women abuse this festive season.

Bulelani.com17

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