Help TEARS Foundation by donation facecloths, toothpaste, soaps for our rape rescue bags

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Help TEARS Foundation by donation facecloths, toothpaste, soaps for our rape rescue bags

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To you it might just be a bag with items of toiletries...... for a survivor at a point where they feel at their lowest having experienced the worst day of their lives, and most vulnerable, receiving a bag with comfort items has a huge impact on the healing process! Imagine this: a woman has been viciously raped and left for dead. If she can call for help, she is taken to a medical facility. When the medical professional arrives, the victim is requested to remove all clothing. The clothing, including underwear, is removed and placed into an evidence bag. This clothing will not be returned to the victim. The victim’s body, the crime scene is being analysed, notes made of the injuries, bruises, cuts, mucosal tearing, and entered onto a J88 form, which will be used at court and part of the investigation. When the police arrive at the hospital, the evidence (clothing) is handed to them. A form is completed as part of the chain of evidence and a rape kit is presented. The police officer then puts the victim’s body, again under a magnifying glass, looking for any DNA that might have been left from the perpetrator, swabs were taken from possible DNA left on her body. Swabs from inside her vagina, her mouth, under her nails, in her hair, all documented. At this point, the victim has no clothes, she feels dirty, ashamed, and humiliated. She has been stripped of all dignity and she is surrounded by people she doesn’t know. Considering the trauma experienced by victims of rape, one wonders what the average person can do to help. While we can’t all offer comfort in person, there is something we can do. We can send our support and love from where we are, in the simplest way – we pack comfort bags that will be given to rape victims, in their hour of need. A contribution of R350/R400 can provide a comfort pack for a woman, man, or child to be used during the initial examination and reporting has. These packs provide a rape survivor with essential items such as soap, facecloth, a toothbrush, toothpaste, deodorant, body lotion, new underwear, a bottle of water, a sweet, note of encouragement, etc. When you have no clothes or underwear, or personal items, receiving a “Comfort Bag” provides enormous comfort. This bag is given to show someone cares and is thinking of her, even though she feels so alone. It helps to give back some of the dignity and respect that has been so violently taken from her. The children packs are sad, in high demand, due to the increase in the number of child rapes. It is for this reason that TEARS Foundation has chosen to supply bags to survivors

About this Cause

TEARS Foundation

Violence & Abuse Recovery

4.1 from 29 activities

We help Rape and Sexual Abuse Victims by Offering Support, Information and Assistance

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