RAPE survivor speaks out about her traumatic life journey.
The woman said that she was raped eight times.
Doreen Nomkhosi Msomi (50) from Orlando West in Soweto told Daily Sun that she was raped by relatives, her late husband, boyfriend, neighbour, and a stranger.
"I was raped eight times in a space of 30 years. A stranger raped me at the age of 16 and broke my virginity," she said.
Doreen said the horrible incident happened in Soweto and Orange Farm, south of Joburg.
"This was hard, and I felt no one would listen to me."
The woman, who is a gender-based violence and femicide activist and motivational speaker, said that being a motivational speaker has helped her go through the healing process.
"I've confronted some of my alleged rapists, but none of them seem to remember what happened," she said.
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The mum of two said she's now okay and able to share her story with other women.
However, the woman said that she had anger issues and hated men in the past.
The woman from Joburg said that she was arrested three times in a space of three months in 2013 for beating her boyfriend twice and a neighbour.
"My life has changed a lot from being the animal I was to becoming a role model in the community as I'm happily doing motivational speaking," she said.
Doreen said that she loves people and doesn't judge them.
"I feel that I'm the chosen one to go and share my sad story with the world. I'm changing people's lives and giving hope to the hopeless," said Doreen.
Her message to other victims of gender-based violence and femicide is that perpetrators will never give them answers but only pain and nightmares.
She said they should open up and share their painful journey in the process of seeking counselling.
Her message to those who raped her is that they have planted a seed of love in her.
She said that in 2014 and 2015, death robbed her of the two people who were breadwinners, her husband and aunt.
"During that time, my mind told me to become a sex worker because men used to rape me without giving me money."
Doreen said that after a deep introspection, she didn't become a sex worker.
Some of her achievements include being Mrs Soweto Personality 2022-2023 and Mrs Soweto Humanitarian 2024-2025.
