1 00:00:05,280 --> 00:00:08,080 Speaker 1: Hey, this is Annie and Samantha and welcome to Stephane 2 00:00:08,080 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 1: Never told you production. I heart radio. All right, Annie, 3 00:00:19,480 --> 00:00:23,120 Speaker 1: it is time for another Women Around the World. Are 4 00:00:23,160 --> 00:00:26,280 Speaker 1: you ready. I'm always ready. Yeah you are, Yeah you are. 5 00:00:26,760 --> 00:00:31,360 Speaker 1: We are talking about an amazing athlete, that ultra runner, 6 00:00:31,480 --> 00:00:33,159 Speaker 1: and I have to ask, have you ever done an 7 00:00:33,200 --> 00:00:36,720 Speaker 1: ultra marathon? No, I think the closest I've ever come. 8 00:00:36,760 --> 00:00:42,440 Speaker 1: I've done marathons. I've done one marathon correction okay, okay, 9 00:00:42,440 --> 00:00:45,400 Speaker 1: but I did. Do you like a handful of those 10 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,440 Speaker 1: sort of endurance pain races? Okay, the ones that shock you, 11 00:00:49,920 --> 00:00:51,919 Speaker 1: like shock you, and you've got to swim in like 12 00:00:52,000 --> 00:00:55,760 Speaker 1: ice water and like things like that. I lost my shoe. 13 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,400 Speaker 1: And then my very first mud race. It was a 14 00:00:58,480 --> 00:01:01,200 Speaker 1: zombie themed mud race, and not only was it like 15 00:01:01,200 --> 00:01:02,840 Speaker 1: a mud race, but there had actually been like a 16 00:01:02,880 --> 00:01:05,800 Speaker 1: torrential downpour, so it was even worse and I was 17 00:01:05,880 --> 00:01:09,560 Speaker 1: anticipated and I lost my shoe in the first ten seconds. Nice. Yeah, 18 00:01:09,600 --> 00:01:11,600 Speaker 1: I've been tempted to try those, but then after I 19 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:14,440 Speaker 1: was told you get shocked, I was like, no, why, 20 00:01:14,600 --> 00:01:16,319 Speaker 1: there's one thing to go through some like mud and 21 00:01:16,360 --> 00:01:19,240 Speaker 1: crawl and try to climb things. But purposely try to 22 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:25,920 Speaker 1: hurt me. Why that's an interesting window into the human psyche. 23 00:01:25,959 --> 00:01:28,600 Speaker 1: I think, right, and we already know like things live 24 00:01:28,680 --> 00:01:31,760 Speaker 1: with in that like to push your endurance. Those can 25 00:01:31,840 --> 00:01:33,880 Speaker 1: be really hard for your body. And half marathons were 26 00:01:33,880 --> 00:01:35,520 Speaker 1: hard enough for me. So I was like, no, I'm good. 27 00:01:35,680 --> 00:01:38,319 Speaker 1: I think I'm good. Although I would really like to 28 00:01:38,360 --> 00:01:44,839 Speaker 1: do the trail running the mountain runs, but again i'm good. Yeah. Yeah, 29 00:01:45,160 --> 00:01:48,840 Speaker 1: that's how I broke my ankle on the trail run once, 30 00:01:49,480 --> 00:01:52,200 Speaker 1: and like, I love those things and I think that's 31 00:01:52,240 --> 00:01:54,560 Speaker 1: what I would ultimately prefer, but I'm so clumsy, and 32 00:01:54,600 --> 00:01:57,480 Speaker 1: that experience kind of draping Rick story. Yeah, I don't 33 00:01:57,480 --> 00:01:59,000 Speaker 1: blame you. I think I would be the same way 34 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:02,240 Speaker 1: because I always talk about how every time I hike, 35 00:02:02,800 --> 00:02:05,640 Speaker 1: at least once every few months, I twist my ankle. 36 00:02:06,920 --> 00:02:10,320 Speaker 1: And so as a part of my trail hike stuff, 37 00:02:10,360 --> 00:02:11,800 Speaker 1: you know, you have your little backpack and you have 38 00:02:11,840 --> 00:02:17,600 Speaker 1: your items. I always have an aspandage because I've twisted 39 00:02:17,639 --> 00:02:20,799 Speaker 1: my ankle so many times. But that's not why we're here, 40 00:02:22,320 --> 00:02:25,000 Speaker 1: not particularly, And just to put this cabinet in here, 41 00:02:25,440 --> 00:02:28,600 Speaker 1: as with anything when we're talking about international people in 42 00:02:28,600 --> 00:02:34,160 Speaker 1: international events. Please excuse if we do mispronounce any of 43 00:02:34,200 --> 00:02:36,959 Speaker 1: the things. And I say that in all of everything, 44 00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:40,000 Speaker 1: because we want to really highlight these amazing people who 45 00:02:40,080 --> 00:02:42,520 Speaker 1: may not be well known or who may not be 46 00:02:42,600 --> 00:02:46,720 Speaker 1: as famous as some others, and therefore it's harder to 47 00:02:46,760 --> 00:02:50,519 Speaker 1: find pronunciations. Yes, but we don't want that to stop 48 00:02:50,639 --> 00:02:54,840 Speaker 1: us from talking about and giving the accolades that they deserve. Yeah, 49 00:02:55,080 --> 00:02:56,320 Speaker 1: so I just go ahead and put this little cave 50 00:02:56,320 --> 00:02:59,079 Speaker 1: you on here. But today we are talking about in 51 00:02:59,160 --> 00:03:02,120 Speaker 1: Tumpics in two Fonzi, who is an ultra runner from 52 00:03:02,160 --> 00:03:04,880 Speaker 1: South Africa and has become an advocate for survivors of 53 00:03:05,000 --> 00:03:07,920 Speaker 1: ripe and violence around the world and to her community. 54 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:11,200 Speaker 1: Funzi grew up near Willoville in the Eastern Cape and 55 00:03:11,280 --> 00:03:13,720 Speaker 1: is known as one of the top women runners in 56 00:03:13,800 --> 00:03:18,480 Speaker 1: the country, winning a race after race. But in sixteen, 57 00:03:18,800 --> 00:03:22,240 Speaker 1: Funzi was hospitalized after being brutally attacked and raped a 58 00:03:22,360 --> 00:03:25,880 Speaker 1: day before one of her big races. Though she had 59 00:03:25,919 --> 00:03:30,840 Speaker 1: been beaten and severely traumatized, Fonzi decided she would still run. 60 00:03:30,960 --> 00:03:33,840 Speaker 1: The next day. She stated, I said to myself, I'm 61 00:03:33,880 --> 00:03:36,320 Speaker 1: not going to let the devil win again. I'm going 62 00:03:36,360 --> 00:03:38,480 Speaker 1: to do what I came here for, which is running, 63 00:03:38,760 --> 00:03:41,480 Speaker 1: and she did. She collapsed as she crossed the finish 64 00:03:41,560 --> 00:03:44,480 Speaker 1: line and the crowd chanted her name in support. Right 65 00:03:44,520 --> 00:03:46,920 Speaker 1: and knowing she's not the only one to go through 66 00:03:46,960 --> 00:03:49,400 Speaker 1: such a traumatic and painful experience, She's been a fierce 67 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,760 Speaker 1: advocate for rape survivors and has used her voice to 68 00:03:51,760 --> 00:03:55,680 Speaker 1: bring awareness in jatabased violence around her community. According to 69 00:03:55,760 --> 00:03:59,400 Speaker 1: some recent data from the South African Police Service, around 70 00:03:59,520 --> 00:04:02,480 Speaker 1: two thousand seven dred women were murdered from twenty nineteen 71 00:04:02,520 --> 00:04:05,960 Speaker 1: to twenty and though many organizations continue to try to 72 00:04:06,040 --> 00:04:08,840 Speaker 1: get an accurate picture of what is happening when it 73 00:04:08,840 --> 00:04:11,920 Speaker 1: comes to gender based violence in different areas, the stats 74 00:04:12,160 --> 00:04:16,200 Speaker 1: remain unclear. There have been reports that there has been 75 00:04:16,200 --> 00:04:19,799 Speaker 1: an increase of gender based crimes, and that obviously doesn't 76 00:04:19,800 --> 00:04:22,840 Speaker 1: include those who don't or can't report these incidents for 77 00:04:22,880 --> 00:04:27,760 Speaker 1: whatever reason. In many protests were led demanding government action, 78 00:04:27,839 --> 00:04:31,080 Speaker 1: which did result in the implementation of the National Strategic 79 00:04:31,120 --> 00:04:36,880 Speaker 1: Plan on Gender Based Violence and Femicide, which would address accountability, prevention, research, 80 00:04:36,960 --> 00:04:39,760 Speaker 1: and economic support. It was a lot of a significant 81 00:04:39,800 --> 00:04:44,520 Speaker 1: amount of funds, however, due to COVID it was diverted right, 82 00:04:44,560 --> 00:04:47,279 Speaker 1: and there has been a lot of pressure from activists 83 00:04:47,320 --> 00:04:51,000 Speaker 1: and organizations around the world and in the community. Because 84 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:54,120 Speaker 1: of the lockdown, there has been an even bigger increase 85 00:04:54,279 --> 00:04:57,159 Speaker 1: of gender based violence and domestic violence in that community, 86 00:04:57,440 --> 00:04:59,880 Speaker 1: and they have been talking about having to do new 87 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 1: programs and or relook at how to get more money 88 00:05:03,400 --> 00:05:07,040 Speaker 1: to be able to fund preventative as well as support 89 00:05:07,120 --> 00:05:09,960 Speaker 1: for those organizations that are already on the ground trying 90 00:05:09,960 --> 00:05:12,200 Speaker 1: to make a difference in trying to make change. And 91 00:05:12,240 --> 00:05:14,760 Speaker 1: as we talked about it, she actually was one of 92 00:05:14,800 --> 00:05:17,240 Speaker 1: the few who was able to get a pretty swift arrest. 93 00:05:17,320 --> 00:05:20,599 Speaker 1: Her attacker was arrested four days after and found and 94 00:05:20,680 --> 00:05:23,560 Speaker 1: has been in jail. However, the process in order for 95 00:05:23,760 --> 00:05:26,039 Speaker 1: them to go to trial was dragged out, and she 96 00:05:26,120 --> 00:05:28,680 Speaker 1: even commented at one point that she thinks this is 97 00:05:28,720 --> 00:05:32,120 Speaker 1: part of the reason why people don't report, and she said, quote, 98 00:05:32,120 --> 00:05:34,880 Speaker 1: I'm really thankful for the police work, but I feel 99 00:05:34,920 --> 00:05:37,920 Speaker 1: like the justice system relaxed after the rapist was arrested. 100 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,159 Speaker 1: This closure was so important to me. This postponement was 101 00:05:41,240 --> 00:05:44,839 Speaker 1: really killing me um and she talked about how again 102 00:05:44,880 --> 00:05:47,640 Speaker 1: that if they were to prioritize possibly rape cases in 103 00:05:47,720 --> 00:05:51,360 Speaker 1: court and provide sensitivity training that it would help women 104 00:05:51,400 --> 00:05:54,760 Speaker 1: feel safe to be able to report more as In fact, 105 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:57,960 Speaker 1: in twenty twenty, she decided to do more to bring 106 00:05:58,000 --> 00:06:00,880 Speaker 1: awareness of gunior based violence and became a speaker for 107 00:06:01,160 --> 00:06:04,040 Speaker 1: the sixteen Days of Activism campaign and on her own 108 00:06:04,400 --> 00:06:06,640 Speaker 1: social media, she started the hashtag I Choose to be 109 00:06:06,680 --> 00:06:09,480 Speaker 1: a Victor and not a victim, saying that she wanted 110 00:06:09,520 --> 00:06:13,040 Speaker 1: to be able to not only talk about what happened 111 00:06:13,080 --> 00:06:16,640 Speaker 1: to her as a way of giving support to other survivors, 112 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:19,200 Speaker 1: but also be a mentor for them and be a 113 00:06:19,240 --> 00:06:21,559 Speaker 1: support for them that needed to talk to her as well. 114 00:06:21,800 --> 00:06:24,560 Speaker 1: She said she has had many survivors to contact her 115 00:06:24,560 --> 00:06:26,880 Speaker 1: and tell her of the stories and just thank her 116 00:06:26,920 --> 00:06:30,279 Speaker 1: for her encouragement and her increased support and advocacy, and 117 00:06:30,279 --> 00:06:32,880 Speaker 1: her using her voice again and again and again. She 118 00:06:32,920 --> 00:06:35,680 Speaker 1: also started working within the system as well to help 119 00:06:36,160 --> 00:06:38,680 Speaker 1: provide some of these services for the women for the 120 00:06:38,720 --> 00:06:41,760 Speaker 1: survivors too, So I thought that was really incredible. I 121 00:06:41,800 --> 00:06:43,719 Speaker 1: feel that way too. I've often felt like that's why 122 00:06:43,720 --> 00:06:46,440 Speaker 1: I became a social workers, because I wanted to be 123 00:06:46,480 --> 00:06:49,000 Speaker 1: a part of the change, and that was obviously something 124 00:06:49,040 --> 00:06:52,000 Speaker 1: that was important to her as well, and she talks 125 00:06:52,040 --> 00:06:56,799 Speaker 1: about how she wants to continue to make changes within 126 00:06:56,920 --> 00:06:59,920 Speaker 1: not only her community but in her government in order 127 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,960 Speaker 1: to get more support for the women and the survivors. 128 00:07:03,040 --> 00:07:04,920 Speaker 1: And it's also inspired her to pursue a degree in 129 00:07:04,920 --> 00:07:07,680 Speaker 1: psychology and work as a counselor. Again, I think that 130 00:07:07,800 --> 00:07:10,840 Speaker 1: this's just phenomenal and just while she is a top 131 00:07:10,880 --> 00:07:13,440 Speaker 1: ten finisher at the Two Oceans Marathon in Cape Town 132 00:07:13,480 --> 00:07:16,200 Speaker 1: that she did in and she was training to make 133 00:07:16,280 --> 00:07:19,840 Speaker 1: the top five this year, but of course because of Corona, 134 00:07:20,240 --> 00:07:23,120 Speaker 1: the race was canceled. But it's really interesting to see 135 00:07:23,160 --> 00:07:26,520 Speaker 1: that not only an incident that could have stopped her 136 00:07:26,640 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: completely that she had felt like was one of the 137 00:07:29,520 --> 00:07:32,520 Speaker 1: most traumatic moments because I don't know, I don't know 138 00:07:32,560 --> 00:07:34,480 Speaker 1: if I could, I don't know if I could be 139 00:07:34,640 --> 00:07:36,360 Speaker 1: that person to say I can do this, but to 140 00:07:36,400 --> 00:07:40,280 Speaker 1: get up the next day from the hospital after and um, 141 00:07:40,320 --> 00:07:44,440 Speaker 1: we didn't talk specifically about the incident that she went through, 142 00:07:44,520 --> 00:07:46,400 Speaker 1: but she did get hit in the head with a hammer, 143 00:07:47,160 --> 00:07:49,600 Speaker 1: and the fact that she went through this and was 144 00:07:49,640 --> 00:07:51,320 Speaker 1: able to step back out and say no, I will 145 00:07:51,360 --> 00:07:54,600 Speaker 1: not let this get me down. That's inspirational. Of course, 146 00:07:55,080 --> 00:07:57,320 Speaker 1: not everyone has to be like that, but it is 147 00:07:57,400 --> 00:07:59,600 Speaker 1: lovely to see that she was able to triumph and 148 00:07:59,600 --> 00:08:03,320 Speaker 1: to get justice as well. Yeah, very inspiring, and I 149 00:08:03,360 --> 00:08:07,280 Speaker 1: do love seeing all the advocacy, all the various ways 150 00:08:07,280 --> 00:08:09,640 Speaker 1: she's pursuing that, and that she's getting a psychology degree. 151 00:08:09,880 --> 00:08:14,840 Speaker 1: That's that's amazing. Yes, well, listeners, if you have any 152 00:08:15,000 --> 00:08:18,800 Speaker 1: women around the world that we should spotlight, please send 153 00:08:18,840 --> 00:08:21,520 Speaker 1: them to us. We always love your suggestions. You can 154 00:08:21,600 --> 00:08:23,560 Speaker 1: email us at Stuff Media, mom Stuff at i heeart 155 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:25,480 Speaker 1: media dot com. You can find us on Instagram, and 156 00:08:25,560 --> 00:08:27,560 Speaker 1: Stuff I've Never Told You are on Twitter app, Mom 157 00:08:27,600 --> 00:08:30,920 Speaker 1: Stuff Podcast. Thanks as always to our super producer Christina. 158 00:08:31,040 --> 00:08:33,800 Speaker 1: Thank you Christina, and thanks to you for listening Stuff 159 00:08:33,800 --> 00:08:35,680 Speaker 1: I've Never Told You protection of I Heart Radio. For 160 00:08:35,760 --> 00:08:38,160 Speaker 1: more podcast from iHeart Radio, visit the iHeart Radio app, 161 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:40,600 Speaker 1: Apple podcast, or wherever you listen to your favorite shows.