Caroline Peters, who survived a gang rape when she was 16, is telling her story to encourage others to overcome life’s hardships.
Ms Peters, of Bridgetown, and two of her friends – a boy and a girl – were attacked by a gang in the Nantes Park in 1980. All three of them were stabbed. Ms Peters and the other girl were raped.
Ms Peters and the boy survived, but her female friend died of her injuries.
Ms Peters was one of the speakers at the Bonteheuwel Walking Ladies Women’s Month event at the Church of Resurrection in Bonteheuwel on Thursday August 15 where the theme was “social cohesion, peace, and gratitude”.
Women from all over attended the event where they enjoyed dancing, singing, gifts, and snacks.
Ms Peters has used sport to push ahead in life and keep her grounded. She was an avid sportswoman through her school years and earned provincial colours in netball.
But after gaining a lot of weight and being diagnosed with diabetes in 2012, she and 10 friends formed the Nantes Athletic Club in 2014 to run and keep fit.
Ms Peters said she had always fought against being held back by the hardships she had faced, choosing instead to exploit life’s opportunities.
Ms Peters said women represented strength, resilience, and gave so much hope to each other.
“Most of us grew up with the same values – we greet each other as we pass and that contributes to social cohesion and peace. Peace starts in our homes. As a woman, I have the opportunity to bring peace in to my home. Women are the centres of their homes. If we bring peace into our homes it infiltrates into our communities.”
She said many children missed out on school because of what happened in their homes and people often blamed the mothers but did not realise that they too had challenges.
“Growing up, things weren’t the way they are now. Many people didn’t have role models or parents they could speak to openly about things, but now we have that.
I could have chosen to walk around with anger, but why should I? You do not forgive the person for them, you do it for yourself. We have so much to be grateful for, and we are blessed to be women.”
Ms Peters said women should be excited and willing to create peace in their communities, explore community programmes and look at ways to volunteer to better society.
“Women are nurturers. Fathers are important too, but women are the nurturers in their homes. It is important that women know that they must speak up about things affecting them and that there are opportunities and organisations out there. Break the silence, there is help out there.”
Vainola Makan, from the Southern African Faith Communities and Environment Institute, also spoke at the event.
She said it was important for women and men to enjoy the environment and be aware of what they put into their bodies.
“The universe is integrated in the hearts of women. Women are able to manage their own lives so that they can take care of others. I want to congratulate women for looking after the Earth. Our forefathers and mothers have dug the soil for us, and they’ve done the work for us. The food that we eat now comes from there. We need to continue with the good work and take the minimum things from the Earth to put food on our table.”