To thank her followers, Sithelo Shozi took to Instagram.

After revealing that she was reportedly assaulted by the father of her children, the actress has been plastered all over social media.

The NPO Women For Change has teamed with Sithelo to raise awareness about gender-based abuse, and a petition to grant her and her children a protection order has been launched.

 

 

 

 

 

Almost 50,000 people had signed the petition by the time this article was published.

On Wednesday, Sithelo took to Instagram to thank Mzansi and her followers for their support.

In her note, she expressed her gratitude for everyone who took the time to sign the petition: “It has done very well and above all our hopes,” she wrote.

Despite the response on social media, she continued to speak about the importance of owning your truth.

Nobody really prepares you for the backlash you’ll face when you encourage others to speak out about their past traumas or current difficulties. ‘I’ve realized how easy it is to say or encourage everyone on speaking out about their past traumas, things that they may be going through even in the present moment, but no one really prepares you for the backlash that comes with it. Unfortunately, we’re all a part of the problem. As a society, we’ve made it nearly impossible for people to speak their tales and move on from the tragedies they’ve experienced. “I, for one, will always dim the noise surrounding my reality,” I say.