• Brenda was raped by six men, all planned by her 'friend'
Image: Courtesy
Brenda Obath, the voice on Smooth FM every midmorning, has had a tough time growing up in terms of her sexual life.
Having 'lost her virginity' at the age of 13, her story is unlike any other. She was gang-raped by six men, all planned by her 'friend'.
"The post went up because of the latest wave of the 'Me Too Movement'. A lot of people I know were sharing their stories online, while others didn't want to, yet we had a similar story, so I figured, why not?" Brenda told Word Is on Thursday.
"It is a fairly old story, so it was easier to tell, at least for me because I know it is different for everyone. It happened almost two decades ago," she said.
During the holidays, her friend suggested they go for a day party.
"We got there and yes, there was alcohol involved, but there is so much you can drink at that age. So the girls we were with left, and it was just my 'friend' who brought us to the party and I, as she was to sleep over," Brenda said.
Brenda stepped out for some fresh air, and one of the guys from the party came out to join her, telling her to finish "this tiny bit of brandy".
"I hesitated, but he insisted, so I agreed. He went into the house and brought two glasses and I drank it and immediately felt oozy. My first instinct was to find a bathroom or at least somewhere I can lay, so he walked me into the bedroom."
This is where it got sketchy. She recounts being undressed but she was locked into herself. She wanted to scream, talk or move, but she couldn't.
"He goes on to rape me. Then another man comes in and this happens about five times because there were six guys involved. At that point is when I realised there is little I could do, so I just waited till they were done.
"I heard my 'friend' argue with one guy, saying "you didn't tell me she was a virgin", and he was upset about it. She comes in, got me dressed and we went home."
She remembers being home and wanting to take a shower but she never made it, she blacked out.
"In the morning, I took a hot shower but I was in physical pain, only to see I was covered in bite marks from my neck to just above my waist wondering what was going on."
Brenda kept it to herself up until the post on social media.
"The next week I walked myself to the closest VCT centre and told the lady I need the test. She gave me emergency antiretroviral drugs, and I never went back after three months, but luckily I didn't get anything from that bad experience."