The abuse of Dynamite

Abuse comes in many forms, Verbal, Sexual, Emotional and Physical. In the English dictionary abuse is described as follows: To use something to bad effect or for a bad purpose. Such behavior leads to negative effects like alcohol and drug abuse, retaliation and most serious case and mental disorder, Depression as well as suicide. It happens in stable and broken families and often brings bad vibes and unsettlement.

I am passionate about this topic because I've also been a victim of all the forms of abuse.

I was almost raped at the age of 12 by a man I looked up to, trusted and saw greatness in. My stepfather. He broke the trust bound, made me feel unwanted, worthless and abandoned. It was hard to live with this brick in my heart but I moved on from this, not realizing that this monster was slowly growing in my heart because I didn't take care of it when the wound was still fresh but it was yet to manifest, I never moved on when I had the chance. Slowly but surely I lost confidence, trust and self- esteem. At a later stage, I got involved in a serious relationship and things were great in my eyes but I was unaware of the fact that I was being abused, emotionally. From then on it escalated to verbal abuse and before I knew it he ruled my life, I was his puppet, I was admitted and diagnosed with depression. It's been a long journey from then on, finding peace and being my old self again has really felt so satisfying, I have found myself. I have moved on.

Winning Miss Ehlanzeni would give me the platform to raise awareness of abuse to change the lives of my community and beyond. It's always been my intent to share my story with rest of the world, to motivate them and to show them that, moving on from everything makes you a better person, you find yourself in the process of healing. I will also raise awareness on the effects and what to do next, healing mechanisms and being your own supporter. It is my passion to make a change in my community and surrounding areas, to be an influence in the lives of those who need it most and to clear the mist so that there is a way forward.

I have found something I know will make me happy no matter what, myself. I have not conformed to the status quo and that gives me hope that others can do it too. Being an inspiration to the youth and being in the same age group as them will give me an extra advantage as I know how they feel. Loving yourself with all the scars makes you more beautiful than you already are, you become indispensable.