Anyone who has never been mentally or physically abused will find it
hard to understand why women all over the world would take this.
Why not leave? Why not report the abuser?
Fear of change is the rope that binds them to this horrible situation.
Fear of change and hope that things will just *come right.
That if they are really good and do not *provoke* their abuser they
will feel safe and happy.
Most abused women in South Africa will tell you that they simply do
not feel comfortable going to a police station to report being abused.
Sadly the special unit,dealing with abuse of women and children has
been disbanded, and these highly trained staff now deal with other
crimes.
One of my clients got seriously injured when her landlord broke down
her front door,threatening to hurt her. Out of fear she jumped over
the balcony of the two story high room she had locked herself in. The
police only arrived after her friend called a friend who called the
flying squad. Till today, her two frantic calls did not bring any
reaction from the very law that is supposed to protect us.
Another woman, who happens to work for a lawyer, still can not break
the cycle because her husband is a senior prosecutor,who told her that
he is *untouchable* and that she should call him God. He is so
confident that he will not be stopped because of all his *friends* in
high places.
South African women still fear reporting or acting on abuse. Fear of
rejection from their families, an intricate culture system with 14
ethnic groups, with different culture and beliefs bind them silently,
no matter how much they are told that it is OK to break away from this
violence.
Money plays a role. An abused woman will often feel that she can just
not cope leaving everything behind and trying to start on her own. We
are not in the same league here as far as welfare,food stamps and
support groups.
This is why Footprints Ministry needs your help. We provide a safe
house, food,clothes, work for abused women. We show them the hard road
to faith in God when they feel so neglected by religion.
They find the haven of having someone to talk to, someone to pray for
and with them, someone to listen. We assist with legal help, going
through the red take of breaking bonds they forged in love.
If you feel the calling to help in this venture, if you are abused and
scared to reach out, if you just want to give a small donation, the
link to protect abused woman in South Africa becomes stronger.
Help us to chain violence.
http://footprintsministry.wetpaint.com
Not because you have to.. but because you can.
.
|
