http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/06/magazine-piece-sky-stories-child-sex-abuse-150609111422880.html

FEATURESHUMAN RIGHTS21 MAY 2017

Stories of child sex abuse in South Africa

Inspired by her own experience of sexual abuse, one photojournalist began documenting the victims and the perpetrators.

Listen to this page using ReadSpeaker
Share via Facebook
Share via Twitter
Comments
Print
byMariella Furrer


A young girl attempts to flee from the examining room before a medical forensic examination. A nine-year-old relative who admitted to playing "sexual games" with her was later discovered to have been abused himself. Both children were sent for counselling. The Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children, Johannesburg, March 2003 [Mariella Furrer]
"There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you."
Maya Angelou

When I was about five years old, I was sexually abused by a stranger. I don't think at that age I really understood what it was that had happened to me. But, somehow, I knew it was wrong and I felt to blame for letting the man touch me.

Shortly after the incident, I told my parents about it. I cannot begin to imagine the weight my disclosure must have had on them - the grief and the rage; furious at themselves for failing to protect me, enraged at the man for doing this to me, and infuriated at the world for allowing this to happen to their young daughter.

The molestation could not have lasted more than a couple of minutes, but the incident affected my life in ways that are difficult to articulate.

I don't think as a five-year-old you really understand that you have lost something when you are abused, but you have - something does change.

You lose your childhood really, your innocence is snatched away, and what little is left of that once pure child is now transformed into a sexual being, a child with a knowledge of things way before her time.

From that moment on things were very different for me. I began covering myself up. Well into my teens I wore a t-shirt whenever I swam. I hated it when men stared at me; it made me uncomfortable. I went through a bulimic phase and hated my body and the attention it brought.

It took me a very long time after that to trust a man - or anyone - again.

My Piece of Sky is the result of a journey into the world of child sexual abuse.

It focuses on the crisis in South Africa, a country dealing with an epidemic of child sexual abuse, but it is not exclusively for South Africans.

Through photographs, journals, artwork and testimonies from the abused and abusers, it offers a glimpse into a world of utter depravity, of absolute horror, but of incredible resilience, too, as young survivors struggle to rebuild their lives.

My exploration began in November 2002, when I received an assignment from a US-based women's magazine to take photographs for an article on infant rape in South Africa.

I went to work with the South African Police Child Protection Unit in Port Shepstone, a town in the southeast of the country. I was only with them for a few days, but I was shocked by the numbers of children involved, and decided to continue working on the issue. The more I researched, the bigger the project became.

Most of my access came through the Johannesburg-based Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children and the South African Police Services. Other contacts were made through individuals working in the field of child protection and healing.

Young survivors are surrounded by child rights activists and child protection officers whose absolute priority is the wellbeing of the children. It took me a very long time to gain their trust, but once I had it, I was considered one of them.

Today, I believe that I am as much an activist for the rights and protection of these children as anyone else, and many police officers and child protection advocates remain my dear friends, as do many of the young survivors and their families.

All my photos and interviews with children were made with consent from the child's guardian or caretaker. Once I had this, I would always explain to the child (if they were old enough to understand) that I was working on a project about the bad things that people do to children, that it also happened to me, and that I really hoped that one day when people saw these photos and read these interviews they would want help to stop this happening to other children.

I also guaranteed that they would never be identifiable in photos or interviews.

When a child is molested or raped, they lose control over what is happening to them and their bodies, so while working with victims I was very sensitive about giving control back to them.

I would begin by sitting on the floor in a corner or somewhere out of the way. Once in my spot, I would move very little. I would take very few photos, watching to see how the children responded to the camera. I would interact with them often and become part of the team that worked to comfort them and make them feel safe. Throughout the process I would tell them that if at any time they felt uncomfortable with me or my camera, I would stop.

A few years into the project I decided I needed more than photography to tell this story. I was curious to know more about child sexual abuse; its impact on the survivors, their families, the police, the lawyers, and to try to understand what motivated the perpetrators. So I began doing in-depth interviews.

I used no particular set of questions during interviews. Instead, I formulated questions based on who I was working with, questions that would give me a better psychological and emotional understanding of their lives. I would always begin my interview by asking them to relay their story to me and as they talked I would jot down any questions that came to mind.

Once they finished their story, I would ask more in-depth, personal questions related to the psychology behind the trauma. What were they thinking when they were going through the attack? How did it impact them throughout their life - emotionally and sexually?

When I interviewed the perpetrators, it was with the understanding that My Piece of Sky would take some time to complete, and that they would not be identified, so as not to influence any pending court cases.

My interviews with them were really motivated by me wanting to understand their childhoods, when they were first attracted to children, whether they were abused or not, how they chose their victims, and how they went about abusing them.

My work with perpetrators threw me into a very deep depression - but not for the reasons you might think.

The truth is we all have multiple facets to our personalities and these perpetrators were no different. They were abusers of children, but some of them were funny, intelligent, creative and caring.

After attending their group sessions for several weeks, one of the perpetrators asked me in front of the group how I felt about them now.

"Do you think we are all monsters?" I didn't.

I could not at all condone what they had done, but I did not hate them. With this discovery, my black and white world of right and wrong, good and evil, caved in on top of me.

All these years later, I am not the same person. Not because I have aged, but because I have learned so much - too much really.

Meeting these people and hearing their stories has taken me to the limits of my psychological, emotional and spiritual existence. It has tested me in ways that I am not yet able to comprehend, and after many of the interviews I would lie on my floor for hours, in shock at what I had heard.

Many times I have wanted to lock these interviews and photos up and walk away from them; pretend I had never seen them or heard them.

Only a sense of obligation to those who shared their deepest, darkest secrets so that it does not happen again has prevented me from doing so.


A child's drawing at the Teddy Bear Clinic for Abused Children in Johannesburg. April 2003 [Mariella Furrer]


Tinka Labuschagne, a senior education specialist with the South African Ministry of Education, comforts a 10-year-old girl who had the previous day disclosed to her teacher that her brother and two of his friends forced her to perform MouthAction. She had severe problems with her eyes, a sore throat, vaginal discomfort, and was suspected to be suffering from gonorrhoea. Thembisa, January 2006 [Mariella Furrer]


The mutilated legs of Susanna. Initiated into a satanic cult at the age of eight, Susanna, 24, suffers from Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID). Having endured severe ritualistic sexual abuse for almost 18 years, she developed DID as a coping mechanism and has more than 200 different identities, many of whom are self-mutilators. The initiations involved many forms of sexual abuse, including bestiality, gang rapes and child pornography. December 2008 [Mariella Furrer]


Thirteen-year-old Jennifer sits in a police car after being rescued during a night raid. Abducted in Durban, she had been brought to Johannesburg and forced into the sex trade. She said that although she had not been made to work yet, the love-vendor and another man spiked her drink and raped her. Germistan, November, 2004 [Mariella Furrer]


Inspector 'Stroppie' Grobbelaar struggles to tell Anna Lesele, the aunt and adoptive mother of seven-year-old Kamo, that the search team hasn't found anything. Grobbelaar passed by her house every day to keep her posted. The search went on for a month. Kamo was never found. Johannesburg, December 2005 [Mariella Furrer]


The funeral for three-year-old Sibongile Mokoena, who was raped and murdered on November 8, 2003. A 23-year-old family acquaintance was arrested. Due to Mokoena's family's lack of funds, a local funeral home donated the casket and paid for the funeral. Johannesburg, 2003 [Mariella Furrer]


A schoolmate of Sheldean Human cries during her memorial service. Two weeks after her disappearance, Sheldean's body was found after a confession by a 25-year-old man. She had been sexually molested and murdered. Pretoria, March 2007 [Mariella Furrer]
The above is the foreword to Mariella Furrer's My Piece of Sky: Stories of Child Sexual Abuse. For more information on the book, visit www.mypieceofsky.com

South Africa, the beacon of a proposed 'rainbow country', is a shithole of child abuse, rape, murder, violent crime and apathy. The government and police and military are all incompetent, the country is under the control of violent monsters with guns.

Statistics show that 1 in 4 South Africans is likely to be a rapist.

Don't trust South African savages. They should be purged from the planet.

f

.

CyrusTheGreat:
http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2015/06/magazine-piece-sky-stories-child-sex-abuse-150609111422880.html




South Africa, the beacon of a proposed 'rainbow country', is a shithole of child abuse, rape, murder, violent crime and apathy. The government and police and military are all incompetent, the country is under the control of violent monsters with guns.

Statistics show that 1 in 4 South Africans is likely to be a rapist.

Don't trust South African savages. They should be purged from the planet.

Actually, it is 1 in 3 south African men not 1 in 4.

Just saying

What do you expect when they're under the influence of hard drugs and gangsterism

where is zarzar to come fight and quarel with the article on her beloved developed South Africa. maybe this investigative price was also done by useless Nigerians to discredit SA without realising we also have paedophiles here. very naughty girl

Eddygourdo:
where is zarzar to come fight and quarel with the article on her beloved developed South Africa. maybe this investigative price was also done by useless Nigerians to discredit SA without realising we also have paedophiles here. very naughty girl

I actually read the article & guess what? IDGAF.

ZarZar:


I actually read the article & guess what? IDGAF.

wow Dats lovely. apparently you have grown up from the last time you fought me on this forum. guess she is no longer so touchy. it's good. it shows balance.

If you read all these. Pls PM me to summarise.

Eddygourdo:
wow Dats lovely. apparently you have grown up from the last time you fought me on this forum. guess she is no longer so touchy. it's good. it shows balance.

I fought you? Sorry, I don't remember. But anyway, it's not about growth or any of that zen stuff. It's just that these kind of topics are boring sometimes & I don't feel the need to address every single one of them. We're savages, this or that, whatever, IDC. Whoever wrote the article, clearly wrote it because that is the subject matter she chose to focus on & write about. Her journalistic POV. Something that I could care less about, really. She's right about one thing though, the apathy, because that is exactly what I felt reading this write-up. We've heard it all before, both good & bad, it has ceased to have any emotional impact whatsoever. Any time you see me or any South African commenting on negative threads about South Africa, it's not because we care or are ashamed of what's being said. Our main gripe is when people act holier-than-thou & start keeping tabs of what goes down in our country, as if whatever crimes happening in South Africa, don't happen elsewhere. Now THAT is annoying. However, at the end of the day it's still all opinion & as people who've heard it all before, expect apathy, total disregard & disinterest on our part, unless we really feel like entertaining ourselves with you as a toy

ZarZar:


I fought you? Sorry, I don't remember. But anyway, it's not about growth or any of that zen stuff. It's just that these kind of topics are boring sometimes & I don't feel the need to address every single one of them. We're savages, this or that, whatever, IDC. Whoever wrote the article, clearly wrote it because that is the subject matter she chose to focus on & write about. Her journalistic POV. Something that I could care less about, really. She's right about one thing though, the apathy, because that is exactly what I felt reading this write-up. We've heard it all before, both good & bad, it has ceased to have any emotional impact whatsoever. Any time you see me or any South African commenting on negative threads about South Africa, it's not because we care or are ashamed of what's being said. Our main gripe is when people act holier-than-thou & start keeping tabs of what goes down in our country, as if whatever crimes happening in South Africa, don't happen elsewhere. Now THAT is annoying. However, at the end of the day it's still all opinion & as people who've heard it all before, expect apathy, total disregard & disinterest on our part, unless we really feel like entertaining ourselves with you as a toy

well I understand your angle and since you have rightly now observed that it's simply an opinion which isn't infact localized in the subject of interest, then it's nothing to ever get worked up about. and yes madam, you fought me and even when I tried running away you wanted a fight to a finish. anyway it's all water under the bridge. even though you have confessed to using some people as toys for amusement. on my part, when a black person or African irrespective of color says something about my country which is the norm anyway. I tend to look at that objectively and if it's true, I ignore and defend myself like you do if my accuser is being all self righteous. so I understand where you are coming from. but I am still a firm believer in self criticism as it helps a society grow. something shouldn't be so bad cos another said it. if it's true I will change. but in this context we talking about a country and not an individual and it's impossible to gauge the effects of an insult or negative comments when it's impact factor is very little. many South Africans are not on this forum and would never ever know about this post nor feel hurt by it.

ZarZar:


.

Done.

ZarZar:


I actually read the article & guess what? IDGAF.

You seem to get into lots of fights for something you claim not to care about

If South Africa was so bad. Why do we have Nigerians trooping there in their hundreds?

mediocre:
You seem to get into lots of fights for something you claim not to care about

And so? In my house I'm a child, in the community I'm my father's daughter, but in the eyes of the world I'm given yet another identity, one which I wear with pride & that is being a South African. South Africa is my country, my identity & I'm gonna defend it regardless. You say anything bad about it, you best believe I will be all over that statement like white on rice. To you it may seem like just another place to blow your gums about on the internet, but to me it is home, my foundation & my roots. Your attack becomes a personal attack, whether I care about what you have to say or not. It's like this, a swarm of bees will sting you to death if you dare come near their nest because to them, that's home! Simple. As a human, I'm no different from other living organisms in that, I will defend my territory with everything that I have. Don't care about your reasons or your opinion, but when it comes to my habitat, I grow fangs like a cobra, ready to strike any day, any time, unless I really don't feel like it. Like today. Yup.

Eddygourdo:
well I understand your angle and since you have rightly now observed that it's simply an opinion which isn't infact localized in the subject of interest, then it's nothing to ever get worked up about. and yes madam, you fought me and even when I tried running away you wanted a fight to a finish. anyway it's all water under the bridge. even though you have confessed to using some people as toys for amusement. on my part, when a black person or African irrespective of color says something about my country which is the norm anyway. I tend to look at that objectively and if it's true, I ignore and defend myself like you do if my accuser is being all self righteous. so I understand where you are coming from. but I am still a firm believer in self criticism as it helps a society grow. something shouldn't be so bad cos another said it. if it's true I will change. but in this context we talking about a country and not an individual and it's impossible to gauge the effects of an insult or negative comments when it's impact factor is very little. many South Africans are not on this forum and would never ever know about this post nor feel hurt by it.

South Africans know they're not perfect. You don't force change or introspection on people. It happens gradually, internally & naturally. Because when forced, it turns into resentment. I don't believe it's anyone's place to mount a high horse & be critical of South Africans because we've had different struggles that shaped us in different ways. In short, South Africans will change when they want to change. Period. Everyone else either needs to live with it or mind their own business as it should.

ZarZar:


And so? In my house I'm a child, in the community I'm my father's daughter, but in the eyes of the world I'm given yet another identity, one which I wear with pride & that is being a South African. South Africa is my country, my identity & I'm gonna defend it regardless. You say anything bad about it, you best believe I will be all over that statement like white on rice. To you it may seem like just another place to blow your gums about on the internet, but to me it is home, my foundation & my roots. Your attack becomes a personal attack, whether I care about what you have to say or not. It's like this, a swarm of bees will sting you to death if you dare come near their nest because to them, that's home! Simple. As a human, I'm no different from other living organisms in that, I will defend my territory with everything that I have. Don't care about your reasons or your opinion, but when it comes to my habitat, I grow fangs like a cobra, ready to strike any day, any time, unless I really don't feel like it. Like today.

Zar! Are you into poetry?

There is something about the way you put words together,do you write poems in your spare time?

Jayceon:
Zar! Are you into poetry?

There is something about the way you put words together,do you write poems in your spare time?

No, I'm just an Aquarius

I'm not into poetry but words are my thing lol. Back in my hey-days of high school, I used to be the queen of essays & creative writing. I'm a communicator by nature, I got words on tap

How was the weekend, Jace?

Jayceon:
Zar! Are you into poetry?

There is something about the way you put words together,do you write poems in your spare time?

Very Tupac ish

ZarZar:


No, I'm just an Aquarius

I'm not into poetry but words are my thing lol. Back in my hey-days of high school, I used to be the queen of essays & creative writing. I'm a communicator by nature, I got words on tap

How was the weekend, Jace?

You ever thoight of writing?

Jaqenhghar:

Very Tupac ish

true!!

Jaqenhghar:

You ever thoight of writing?

Become an author? No. But I'm sure I'd love that. It's just that, I don't think it's as easy as it seems because I've heard of people struggling to find publishers or anyone willing to help for that matter. That sounds very stressful to me. Are you into writing?

Jaqenhghar:

Very Tupac ish

Lol I've noticed this too.

ZarZar:


No, I'm just an Aquarius

I'm not into poetry but words are my thing lol. Back in my hey-days of high school, I used to be the queen of essays & creative writing. I'm a communicator by nature, I got words on tap

How was the weekend, Jace?

you just reminded me of Ayan Rand,love that woman.you read a lot don't you?

My weekend was great,was out at Cappello having drinks,how was yours?

Jayceon:
you just reminded me of Ayan Rand,love that woman.you read a lot don't you?

My weekend was great,was out at Cappello having drinks,how was yours?

I do.

Wow. Sounds like you had an amazing weekend. Didn't know you drink Mine was ordinary, the only highlight was a birthday party, yesterday. A kid's birthday party lol. The parents are Muslims so it was strictly cake & other God-friendly things, no booze I had fun on the jumping castle though

ZarZar:


I do.

Wow. Sounds like you had an amazing weekend. Didn't know you drink Mine was ordinary, the only highlight was a birthday party, yesterday. A kid's birthday party lol. The parents are Muslims so it was strictly cake & other God-friendly things, no booze I had fun on the jumping castle though

what books have you read?

I do drink ,not a heavy drinker tho.kid party? Must have been so boring I imagine,especially considering there was no booze.I hope you didn't break kids' jumping castle?

Jayceon:
what books have you read?

I do drink ,not a heavy drinker tho.kid party? Must have been so boring I imagine,especially considering there was no booze.I hope you didn't break kids' jumping castle?

By Ayn Rand? None. What's that one you recommended to me the other day?

OK, cool. Lol @ breaking the jumping castle. Are you kidding me? Some of the kids were taller & bigger than me! IDK what they feed kids these these days because I swear, most of them look like giants to me. But nonetheless, I had a great time with them because the parents bore me.

ZarZar:


By Ayn Rand? None. What's that one you recommended to me the other day?

OK, cool. Lol @ breaking the jumping castle. Are you kidding me? Some of the kids were taller & bigger than me! IDK what they feed kids these these days because I swear, most of them look like giants to me. But nonetheless, I had a great time with them because the parents bore me.

yup,like GM food,they grow up fast these days.good to know you are so good with kids,can't wait for you and I to welcome our first born into this world

Jayceon:
yup,like GM food,they grow up fast these days.good to know you are so good with kids,can't wait for you and I to welcome our first born into this world

Hahaha. Oh Jace!

ZarZar:


Hahaha. Oh Jace!

I mean it .can you imagine how lucky that baby would be to have such two great like-minded parents? CANT WAIT,keep your motherly instincts alive baby

Kjj

Jayceon:
I mean it .can you imagine how lucky that baby would be to have such two great like-minded parents? CANT WAIT,keep your motherly instincts alive baby

LMFAO. No comment.