I was raped at the age of 19. It was during my first year at university. I remember being so confused after a tutor on campus raped me. I knew I needed help. I wanted help, but I was just so confused. I picked myself up and went to a local physician to get checked out, but he could not help me. I lost hope and did not even think of going to the police afterwards.

My next thought was to go home. I needed to be around familiar faces, people who loved me and cared about me. On my way home, I decided to go to the local police station.

At the police station I was yelled at. I did not know what to say. All I could think of was reporting this crime. They took my statement (in front of everyone) and told me to go to the hospital. By that time, I was tired, mentally and physically. I could not think of going anywhere but home. So I dragged myself to my family home.

My parents were home and when I broke the news to them, there was complete silence. One of my relatives implied that I was to blame for the ordeal. That just pushed me to the edge. I started having suicidal thoughts, thinking of ways to end my miserable, broken life.

But I thank God for intervening when He did. I decided to go to church and have never looked back. God healed my broken heart, restored my life and changed me into a woman willing to share her story with others. I never thought it possible, but today I can truly say that I have forgiven the man who raped me.

And as traumatic as the incident was, it was the one thing that led me to experience this new-found relationship with God.

Primrose Mogatlanyane

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