UN / LGBTI HUMAN RIGHTS

Human rights activist Thandeka Mkhuma tells her story as a rape survivor and as a lesbian living in South Africa. UNTV

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:17
• Production Date: 10 December 2013
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: DISCRIMINATION; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS; LESBIAN; GAY; BISEXUAL AND TRANSGENDER; HUMAN RIGHTS
• MAMS Id: U131210i

Description

STORY: UN / LGBTI
TRT: 2.17
SOURCE: UNTV
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: ENGLISH/ NATS

DATELINE: 10 DECEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

Shotlist

FILE - RECENT, NEW YORK CITY

1. Wide shot, UN Secretariat exterior

10 DECEMBER 2013, NEW YORK CITY

2. Wide shot, ECOSOC
3. Wide shot, panellists
4. Med shot, pan right
5. SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“At that age of 16 again, my stepfather, who was a pastor, chased me out of the house because of my lesbian identity. For the next four years, I had to rely on the support of my friends. Again in 2009 on my way home, I was beaten up with a bottle. Repeatedly beaten up and raped by my perpetrator. These are commons attempts to all lesbians in South Africa, where men use physical and sexual abuse on our bodies”.
6. Wide shot, ECOSOC
7. SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“I live in fear. I fear my life every day. We are not free of gender and sexual violence. I always wonder if I will make it safe at work. I always wonder if I will make it safe at home”.
8. Med shot, pan right
9. SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“As a survivor of rape, it is still hard for me to live in South Africa.”
10. Med shot, pan left
11. SOUNDBITE (English) American pop singer Melissa Etheridge:
“The entertainment community is coming together to meet the need in Russia. Then to move on and meet the need in Africa.”
12. Wide shot, ECOSOC chamber
13. Wide shot, panel

Storyline

In a special Human Rights Day event at UN Headquarters, the human rights activist Thandeka Mkhuma told her story as a victim of rape and as a lesbian living in South Africa.

She said that she lost her mother when she was 16 and she had to learn to survive by her own.

SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“At that age of 16 again, my stepfather, who was a pastor, chased me out of the house because of my lesbian identity. For the next four years, I had to rely on the support of my friends. Again in 2009 on my way home, I was beaten up with a bottle. Repeatedly beaten up and raped by my perpetrator. These are commons attempts to all lesbians in South Africa, where men use physical and sexual abuse on our bodies”.

She added that -even today- the perpetrator has not been arrested.

SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“I live in fear. I fear my life every day. We are not free of gender and sexual violence. I always wonder if I will make it safe at work. I always wonder if I will make it safe at home”

She stressed that it is the State’s responsibility to protect all citizens against of all forms of violence motivated by gender, race, identity and sexual orientation.

She said that lesbians in South Africa are verbally abused before being raped.

SOUNDBITE (English) Human rights activist from South Africa, Thandeka Mkhuma:
“As a survivor of rape, it is still hard for me to live in South Africa.”

She underlined that it is everybody’s responsibility to end hate and to end violence.

Also taking part of the event was the American pop singer Melissa Etheridge who expressed the entertainment industry's support.

SOUNDBITE (English) American pop singer Melissa Etheridge:
“The entertainment community is coming together to meet the need in Russia. Then to move on and meet the need in Africa.”

She added that this new century is about changing hearts and minds.

At the special event to denounce homophobic violence and discrimination were also tennis legend Martina Navratilova, NBA basketball player Jason Collins, Tumi Mkhuma of the Forum for Empowerment of Women in South Africa, Hida Vilora, Chair of Intersex International (OII) USA, Anastasia Smirnova of Russia’s LGBT Network, as well as UN Assistant Secretary-General for Human Rights Ivan Simonović.