Already as women we are not equal to men, as they have dominated this world for years and years. Women over those years have used their voices to help not only themselves but the female gender overall.I know for a fact that without those women not only I, but all women today, would not be where they are. I am a woman who was born and raised in the country of South Africa where gender-based violence is an on-going battle for so many women and young girls. The country is beautiful but only those who live there can really see the true reality of pain and suffering amongst women.
When I was in elementary school in a small town, I was only exposed to so much. Once I moved to an all girls high school did I really start to understand the power that women could have and how it was a privilege to be getting educated. I grew up being privileged, I had a warm home, running water and food on the table, something many people dream of having. Many women in South Africa do not have what I was lucky enough to have, many less fortunate women cannot attend school, miss weeks of school if they do attend school due to not being able to afford or access sanitary towels, get abused and raped. Sadly many people do not hear about this issue because they do not have the resources to report incidents like these.
I can not speak for these women but I can at least try and use my privilege to make change. In 2019, a young woman living and studying in Cape Town, a well known tourist destination was raped and murdered in a post office. This created a major uprising amongst women in South Africa, women took to the streets to protest, schools were protesting, “enough is enough” is what they said. Her rapist was sentenced to imprisonment but here we are today where the South African justice system is still the same and women still live in fear. When women walk the streets they hold onto their bags for dear life, constantly monitoring their surroundings ensuring their pepper spray is easily accessible.
The country of South Africa is a beautiful place but once again women are fighting an on going battle of inequality. Those with privilege must use that privilege to help the women in desperate need of help. Like I said, I can not speak for those women; this is simply my point of view.