Bullied, raped, and HIV+: Natasha’s path to forgiveness

Raised by her adoptive parents after her biological mother couldn’t care for her, Natasha Zantsi from the Eastern Cape faced numerous challenges in her life, including bullying, abandonment, and a harrowing rape that led to an HIV diagnosis.

“My biological mother was in matric when she had me, and my grandfather didn’t want another child brought into the family. So, at two years old, my mother asked my adoptive mother to take care of me,” she shares her story in this Health For Mzansi podcast episode.

“My adoptive mother was married, but she and her husband were struggling to conceive children, so I became their child until today.”

Bullied and battered

Despite the love from her adoptive family, her childhood was marked by bullying and feelings of abandonment. “At school, kids bullied me, mocking my situation and writing hurtful things on the bathroom walls. It was a constant reminder that I didn’t belong.

“After moving to Cape Town, I was struggling to find stability. One night, a friend invited me out and introduced me to her boyfriend. After a night of drinking, I woke up the next morning naked and locked in a room. It was clear something terrible had happened, but I couldn’t remember the details.”

The truth unravelled slowly as she discovered the man had drugged and raped her and took explicit photos and videos. “He later sent me pictures and threatened to post them online if I spoke out. I was humiliated and scared,” she says.

“I started getting sores and vomiting. At the clinic, I was diagnosed with an STI, and a year later, I tested positive for HIV. It was devastating. I hadn’t been with anyone else; I was not sexually active, so I knew it was from him. He infected me with HIV on purpose.”

‘I hated myself’

Zantsi says she struggled with deep anger and thoughts of revenge. “I wanted him to feel the pain he caused me. I hated myself, and I wanted this man to feel what he made me feel. I was prepared even to kill.”

Her turning point came through prayer and counselling. “My adoptive mother always taught me about the power of forgiveness. It wasn’t easy, but I knew I had to forgive to move forward. I prayed for God to help me release the anger and find peace,” she shares.

“I prayed like a mad woman, asking God to release the spirit of forgiveness and love within me. I then received an instruction from God that I should write a book because it’s something that is going to last for decades, for generations to generations.”

Forgiveness transformed Natasha’s life and says she uses her experience and her book “Let Go Of The Past And Liberate Yourself” to inspire others and has begun to understand that everyone has a purpose in life.

“Everyone has been released on Earth for a purpose. So there is a purpose in your pain; there’s beauty that comes off of your pain because now people find me powerful and inspirational. But I’m not the only one that has gone through rejection, abandonment, rape, and HIV. There are many people out there, but not many people came out strong like I did.”