Student to push ahead with sexual assault case

THE Port Elizabeth woman in a sexual assault case who was identified last month when a banner was held outside court branding her “a liar”, is more determined than ever to follow through with the court case. It happened when the 23-year-old NMMU student appeared at court after laying a complaint against a Kingfisher FM presenter who she accused of harassing, stalking and threatening to rape her. On her arrival at the Port Elizabeth Magistrate’s Court, members of the Nelson Mandela metro district’s Young Communist League were holding the banner, which read: “Hold your horses, [the woman’s name] is a liar.” The woman said yesterday: “I was upset on the day, but I am fighting a bigger issue here. “Sexual abuse and assault is a cancer that is eating away at our very fabric. “No one deserves to be threatened and definitely not victims of sexual assault.” She said the move, which saw her name revealed to the public without her consent, had changed the minds of more women who would have come forward in the same matter. “I believe some that are even younger than me are scared of coming forward because the same thing might happen to them,” the student said. “They do not want to be involved anymore. We are talking young girls and they are terrified. “Also, this type of retaliation is a desperate act. “When people design smear campaigns like this, what does it say about them?” She said despite the case being the first sexual assault prosecution of its kind in the city, in which no physical contact or assault had taken place, she believed she had to report it.

“The intensity of the threats will be heard in court, but it was so bad that I was scared of going to varsity. I was scared of leaving my home. “I knew that changing my number would not work as he could contact me over a range of platforms. “It was a terrifying experience.” She said while coming forward was scary, “no one deserves to be devalued” in such a way. “This can happen to anyone. It can even happen to men,” the woman said. Her father, a prominent businessman in the city, confirmed that they would be proceeding with the complaint of crimen injuria, which had been made at the Mount Road police station. “The case has been lodged. I think my daughter feels much more victimised by what happened at court,” he said. “Also, this whole situation has turned into a racial issue because he is a person of colour. “It has nothing to do with race.” The businessman said while his daughter felt victimised, she was more determined than ever to go ahead with the case. “She is prepared to testify in court and we believe the truth will come out,” he said. “She is very resilient and has the support of her entire family.” Lindsay Ziehl, who runs the Yokhuselo Haven for women and children affected by domestic violence, said tactics like the banner action prevented more abused women from coming forward. “These strong-arm tactics are designed to frighten and further harass,” she said. “The fact that they put her name on that banner is appalling, but we applaud her for not backing down and fighting for her rights.” Police spokeswoman Captain Sandra Janse van Rensburg said the case was still being investigated.