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Learn about a young girl’s ordeal due to her disability.
Netsanest is a 14-year old girl. She became blind when she was young, but does not remember exactly how and when it happened. Growing up as a blind girl in her village, she felt useless and was often called names like “awer” (a name used for people who cannot see which also means stupid). When people visited the family home she often hid from view so she did not shame her family, and when there were festivities in her village she was never allowed to take part.
One day her aunt visited and told her family about a school for blind children in a nearby village. With her parents’ permission, Netsanest started attending this school. She loved attending school and soon learned how to read and write, cook and move around the village by herself. She even began to rent a house with some of her new friends.
One evening a man from the village approached Netsanest and asked her to sleep with him in return for money to help pay for her education costs. Netsanest refused, telling him that she was not ready to marry and that she wanted to focus on finishing her education. A few days later when her friends were away from the house, the man came back and told her that being with him would make her life easier and that it would be their secret. Again she refused and this time he raped her. She screamed and shouted but no one came to help.
The next day at school the teachers heard about her story and took her to the police. Instead of helping her, the police started blaming her for what had happened. Several other blind girls had been raped in the village, and because of negative community attitudes and beliefs regarding disability it was often believed that it was their fault. News quickly spread throughout the village and the rapist’s mother came to see Netsanest, shouting at her and accusing her “What do you think you are doing? You first seduce my son and make him do sinful things and now you are trying to disgrace his name…”
When news reached Netsanest’s parents, they did not know what to do. On the one hand they were scared to do anything because they worried about Netsanest’s safety and the shame this situation might bring for their family. On the other hand they wanted justice for Netsanest.
What could CBR do to help Netsanest and her family attain justice?
After reading about Netsanest’s situation, consider the following questions:
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