Hey, love.

If you’re reading this and your heart is heavy, please know: I see you. I see the weight you’re
carrying. And whether it’s something you’ve spoken about or something you’re still trying to
make sense of inside, your pain is valid. Your story matters.

Gender-Based Violence isn’t just a headline. It isn’t just stats on a page or another
“awareness month.” It’s real. It’s personal. It’s the thing too many of us live through silently.
And if you are, right now, or in your past this is your gentle reminder that none of it was your
fault.

Let us say that again, just in case you need to hear it louder: None. Of. It. Was. Your. Fault.
At Sheba Feminine, we hold space for every menstruator, every body navigating this world
with strength, softness, confusion, power, and sometimes…fear. You don’t have to fit a
mould to be believed. You don’t need bruises for your pain to be taken seriously. Whether it
was a word, a look, a hand, or the silence that followed, you deserve safety. You deserve to
take up space.

If you’re trying to leave, and it feels impossible…
If you’ve already left, and the healing feels too far away…
If you’re unsure what just happened, and you’re trying to name it…
We are here. With no judgment. With nothing but love, care, and truth.

Here’s what we want you to know:

• You have the right to say no. To sex, to a touch, to a conversation. Your body is your own.
• You are not too sensitive, too emotional, or “crazy.” Your feelings are real. Your fear is
real.
• You are allowed to ask for help. Whether it’s a hotline, a friend, a counsellor, or a stranger,
it’s okay to reach out.
• You don’t have to perform strength. You’re already surviving, and that’s more than enough.

If you need someone to speak to, here are a few resources:

• South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG): 0800 567 567
• GBV Command Centre (24/7): 0800 428 428 / 1207867# (free from any phone)
• Lifeline SA: 0861 322 322

Save them. Share them. Use them when you’re ready. There is no shame in asking for help,
only courage.

We believe in a world where being feminine, being soft, being queer, being non-binary, being
different doesn’t mean being unsafe. Until that world exists, we will keep showing up. For you. With you. Because you are worthy. You are not what happened to you.

You are loved. Fully. Fiercely. Unconditionally.
With love,
The Sheba Feminine Team