A short trip in February 2020 to explore and learn more about the country where she was born, ended in tragedy for a young woman who was allegedly raped at the surf lodge where she stayed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The 32-year-old, who now lives in Portugal, says she was in South Africa for work in February 2020 when she decided to extend her stay by a week.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After speaking to her grandmother about places to visit and searching places to surf she decided on the surf lodge in Hermanus as it had good reviews.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
What irked her, says Nina (not her real name), was when the instructor didn\u2019t get into the water with surf students during the lesson. \u201cI thought this was very unprofessional because the conditions weren\u2019t great for beginners.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
She recalled she wanted to put her belongings in a room with a lock after the occupant had left, but was told by her alleged rapist that she should stay in the loft (mezzanine). It was in this room that the alleged rape occurred.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The worst thing about the experience, and something that still haunts her, she says, is that when she confronted him about what happened he allegedly told her: \u201cIt was so easy to do it to you.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cMy self-worth was so low at that time I didn\u2019t know what to do,\u201d Nina stated. She left and returned to Cape Town to stay with her ex-boyfriend.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
After returning home, Nina says, she started following the alleged perpetrator on social media. This is how she came into contact with a woman from the USA who claimed to have had the same experience during her stay at the lodge in Hermanus.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
It wasn\u2019t until 2021, after getting in touch with a young woman who reported escaping his attentions, that things could be taken further.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
This young woman\u2019s mother, said Nina, put them in touch with Koleinu SA.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cThat\u2019s when we found out we cannot lay charges unless we are in South Africa. It is very frustrating. We decided to approach the Daily Maverick<\/i> as we believe he (the alleged perpetrator) must have done this to more women. After the story was published, a German girl came forward and said she was also raped by him.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cNow this other girl laid charges. I am debating coming back [to SA] for two months. Maybe I will lay charges then. What puts me off is that the process takes long and travelling back and forth will cost a lot.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Nina has, however, furnished the police in South Africa with a written statement about the alleged rape. She has also undergone therapy, but says: \u201cTo this day it still haunts me that he said it was so easy to do it to me. It really damaged my self-esteem.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
(The alleged rapist\u2019s name is being withheld as suspects accused of sexual crimes cannot be identified until they have pleaded to the charges in a court of law.)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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