The opening episode of Voices of Change sets the emotional and narrative foundation for the entire series. Heidi begins by grounding the conversation in her own lived experience as a survivor of gender-based violence, acknowledging that GBV is not an abstract crisis but a deeply personal one, woven into the lives of countless women across South Africa. Her honesty establishes the core truth of this podcast: behind every statistic is a voice, a memory, and a story someone never asked to carry.
Drawing directly from a letter written by a woman she works with, Heidi shares a story that many survivors will recognise instantly. It begins in grief; the loss of someone she loved and moves into a hopeful connection with a man described as the “nice guy”. Gradually, boundaries are pushed, discomfort grows, and the warnings we often dismiss become impossible to ignore. When the moment of violence arrives, the body responds in the way many survivors do: freezing, shutting down, surviving.
The episode illuminates a reality rarely discussed openly: many women do not fight, scream, or report. Instead, they question themselves. They fear judgement. They wonder whether anyone will believe them. Heidi’s narration does not diagnose or analyse; it honours the survivor’s truth exactly as she offered it.
As the episode closes, Heidi reflects on the weight of what was shared and the courage it takes to entrust someone with a story held in silence for years. She reminds listeners that healing is not linear, disclosure is personal, and there is no single way to survive an experience that should never have happened.
This is more than an introduction; it is an invitation into a series that centres dignity, compassion, and hope. It marks the beginning of a collective effort to speak openly, listen deeply, and build a safer society, one story at a time.
Where to Get Help:
• National GBV Command Centre | gbv.org.za
Emergency Line: CALL NOW 0800 428 428
Please Call Me: *120*7867# [supported by a USSD]
For members of the deaf community: Skype address- HelpmeGbv
For persons with disability: SMS ‘help’ to 31531
• SAPS Emergency Line | saps.gov.za
10111.
112 from a cellphone
08600 10111 for the Crime Stop line
• Thuthuzela Care Centres | https://www.gov.za/TCC
• Lifeline | lifelinesa.co.za
[email protected]
011 715 2000
0800 012 322
0861 322 322
• Tears Foundation | tears.co.za
Helpline: 08000 tears / 08000 83277
Support locator: *134*7355#
Email: [email protected]
• POWA | powa.co.za/contact/