LISTEN: Jes Foord Foundation looks back on 10 years of activism
"An incredible journey." That is how rape survivor and activist, Jes Foord has described the 10 years that have passed since her brutal attack.
Foord and her father, Tim had been walking their dogs at the Shongweni dam, west of Durban when they were accosted by four men on 2 March, 2008.
They assaulted Tim, tied him up and then forced him to watch them rape his then 21-year-old daughter.
"In the beginning you feel so down, like you are not going to get anywhere. But you just give it time, go for your counselling and without even noticing, you are able to look back and realise how far you have come," said Foord.
"While you are walking the journey, you do not realise that every step you take is an achievement. But when you look back, you realise how far you have come," she continued.
Now 30, Foord has married and has started her own family.
She has also a leading voice in the fight against rape with the Jes Foord Foundation.
Her decision to speak out after she was raped was a difficult one.
"So many people go through this so often and the community was incredible. Everybody stood behind me and everyone was there from the second it happened. But I realised that so many people have nobody," she said.
"I thought I could speak out and encourage others to speak out, and try and be a voice for those who did not have the courage to speak out. That is what drove me."
Asked where she found the courage, Foord quips that if you were ask her mother, she would cite her daughter's 'stubbornness.'
"It was also a case of, they have done this to me, they have managed to take my body, but I am not going to let them take me," she said.
While the support of her community as well as her friends and family has contributed greatly to Foord’s recovery, she also credits regular counselling.
“I’m still in counselling, ten years later."
“Counseling is one of the most important things. You need to speak about something. When something like this happens to you, it is like a ball of poison, and the more you talk about it, the more you are spitting that poison out."
Foord and her foundation have come a long way since that March afternoon in 2008.
“It’s truly amazing. I had this dream 10-years-ago, to start this foundation to be a voice for people who have no one, and to see it grow has been incredible,” she said
“I’ve also got my own little family. I got married and had twins - a boy and a girl - and they turned four last week."
Looking ahead, she says the foundation’s focus is on its awareness campaign, 'No Means No' and they hope to reach 110,000 people.
Speaking on the fight against rape more broadly, Foord says it is heartening to see the establishment of Thuthuzela Care Centres, which provide all the services required after a rape at almost all public hospitals.
But, she says, we still have a long way to go in terms of reporting rape.
"So many people say the rape numbers have come down and I think that’s actually bad news. If we want to see real change, we need to see them go up first,” she said.
They assaulted Tim, tied him up and then forced him to watch them rape his then 21-year-old daughter.
"In the beginning you feel so down, like you are not going to get anywhere. But you just give it time, go for your counselling and without even noticing, you are able to look back and realise how far you have come," said Foord.
"While you are walking the journey, you do not realise that every step you take is an achievement. But when you look back, you realise how far you have come," she continued.
Now 30, Foord has married and has started her own family.
She has also a leading voice in the fight against rape with the Jes Foord Foundation.
Her decision to speak out after she was raped was a difficult one.
"So many people go through this so often and the community was incredible. Everybody stood behind me and everyone was there from the second it happened. But I realised that so many people have nobody," she said.
"I thought I could speak out and encourage others to speak out, and try and be a voice for those who did not have the courage to speak out. That is what drove me."
Asked where she found the courage, Foord quips that if you were ask her mother, she would cite her daughter's 'stubbornness.'
"It was also a case of, they have done this to me, they have managed to take my body, but I am not going to let them take me," she said.
While the support of her community as well as her friends and family has contributed greatly to Foord’s recovery, she also credits regular counselling.
“I’m still in counselling, ten years later."
“Counseling is one of the most important things. You need to speak about something. When something like this happens to you, it is like a ball of poison, and the more you talk about it, the more you are spitting that poison out."
Foord and her foundation have come a long way since that March afternoon in 2008.
“It’s truly amazing. I had this dream 10-years-ago, to start this foundation to be a voice for people who have no one, and to see it grow has been incredible,” she said
“I’ve also got my own little family. I got married and had twins - a boy and a girl - and they turned four last week."
Looking ahead, she says the foundation’s focus is on its awareness campaign, 'No Means No' and they hope to reach 110,000 people.
Speaking on the fight against rape more broadly, Foord says it is heartening to see the establishment of Thuthuzela Care Centres, which provide all the services required after a rape at almost all public hospitals.
But, she says, we still have a long way to go in terms of reporting rape.
"So many people say the rape numbers have come down and I think that’s actually bad news. If we want to see real change, we need to see them go up first,” she said.
"Only 25 percent of rapes are reported. We need to get that other 75 percent able to speak out” .
Listen to Foord's full interview with Newswatch's Bernadette Wolhuter below:
To mark the foundation's 10 years of activism, it will host a family fun day at the Gateway WavePark on the 25th of March.
Tickets cost R100 for adults and R50 for children.
There will be bands playing and food and beverages on sale.
Tickets cost R100 for adults and R50 for children.
There will be bands playing and food and beverages on sale.
For more information visit the foundation’s Facebook page or website.