The ordeal that Lily* suffered at the hands of a group of rapists in December 2022 has been one of Action Society’s grimmest stories yet. While it highlights the pandemic of sexual violence in South Africa, it also demonstrates the power of community and the grit and resilience of many survivors who decide not to give up when a situation looks hopeless. You see, Lily is completely deaf and mute. She cannot communicate without a sign language interpreter. Besides her power being ripped from her, she was left voiceless in her battle for justice.
Gang-raped
Lily was 45 years old last December when she was attacked and knocked unconscious outside her house. She woke up to a horrifying assault – being gang-raped by four men in Bonteheuwel. She managed to escape after a four-hour-long ordeal. She survived.
Left voiceless
Getting a SL interpreter during the investigation and in court proved to be a considerable challenge. It prevented her from telling her story, causing unnecessary delays. For almost a year, Lily was literally robbed of her voice. Our mission is to give a voice to the voiceless, so we took on her case when we learned of Lily’s story. Our first breakthrough came a month later, on 7 September 2023.
How a strong community changed the tide
Action Society mobilised the wonderful members of the Deaf Community of Cape Town to attend the next court appearance for Lily’s case, which was scheduled for 7 September. They were outraged by her case and stood outside the Bishop Lavis Court with placards reading ‘Deaf Have Rights Too’, ‘Don’t Scrap Deaf Cases’ and many more.
“I’m angry, yes! Because these men took advantage of her because she’s deaf, just like me. They think we are easy targets and that we don’t have rights, but they will soon see how wrong they are,” a deaf supporter said via a sign language interpreter.
The media helped to tell Lily’s story, and at last, a SL interpreter was assigned to Lily’s case.
Lily’s battle is far from over
At the time of publication, the four suspects were set to appear in court again on 4 December 2023. Only one of the suspects was denied bail due to previous charges. Lily has left the area for her own safety.
Take action today! Share Lily’s story. #SayHerName and consider funding our efforts to bring her rapists to justice. Click here: https://actionsociety.co.za/donate/
Lily* is a pseudonym used to protect the identity of the victim
Photo for illustration purposes only
