6 SA celebrities who opened up about being sexually abused

Sexual assault happens in every community, and it has eaten deep into the system despite an annual campaign against it, globally.

Wikipedia defines Sexual assault as an act in which one intentionally sexually touches another person without that person’s consent or coerces or physically forces a person to engage in a sexual act against their will.

Men, women, and children can suffer from this hideous plaque, and many have lived with the trauma for years.

According to UN Women, Globally, an estimated 736 million women—almost one in three—have been subjected to physical and/or sexual intimate partner violence, non-partner sexual violence, or both at least once in their life (30 per cent of women aged 15 and older). This figure does not include sexual harassment.

We are going to peg our focus on the South African entertainment industry, while we reveal celebrities who have confidently opened up about being sexually abused.

As we continue, it is worthy to note that some of these celebs are yet to get justice till date, while a few others are bullied and dragged for speaking their truth which is labeled a false allegation.

Below are South African celebrities who have talked about being sexually abused:

1. MOONCHILD SANELLY

Four years ago, the singer opened up about being sexually harassed by a family member, but the police dismissed her after reporting.

“One time I was sexually harassed by [a relative] and went to report it with my friend Maps. The cops, both male and female, asked me what I was wearing and why I danced with [the family member] and [said] that I should go home and talk about it with my family. They took me in the van and drove me home,” she wrote.

2. LADY ZAMARIn 2020, Lady Zamar publicly revealed that she was raped by Sjava while they dated. She opened a case against him, but it was dismissed due to lack of evidence. Sjava’s career almost hit rock bottom, but things changed as he got sympathy from the public after court dismissed the case. Currently, Zamar is being bullied on social media and called a liar. However, she’s stood firm on a claim of being sexually abused by the one-time-BET winner.

3. ZOLEKA MANDELA

Zoleka opened up about being sexually abused by both men and women at a young age; she attempted suicide afterwards and she blamed herself

“This is me as a child, I spent decades blaming myself, believing that all the sexual abuse by both the men and women in my life, I deserved. Not knowing that I would be physically and sexually abused even more (after this picture was taken) … convinced that I didn’t deserve more. I’ve hated myself so much that my many suicidal attempts, were an attempt at ending a life I didn’t deserve,” she disclosed.

4. SOPHIE NDABA

In 2019, during an interview, Sophie revaled how a relative harrased her sexually.

“I was chilling in the TV room because remember we were in a foreign country, a foreign place. Then a ‘relative’, my relative’s husband comes onto the couch and kisses me on the lips and puts his tongue in my mouth,” she said.

5. AMANDA DU-PONT

In 2021, Amanda opened up about how Jub Jub raped her. Click here to know more about the revelation.

6. MASECHABA KHUMALO

In 2019, Masechaba revealed how she was sexually abused by her step dad. “My first sexual encounter was with my stepdad, unfortunately. I was nine and he molested me…” In 2022, she also accused Jub Jub of raping her.

These list isn’t limited, but these are the few celebrities who unashemedly revealed how they suffered in their hands of those who assualted them secxually.

You can add to the list if you are aware of any other celebrities who was sexually abused.