Sunday, October 21, 2007

When sex leads to suicide


“Hoping that the kindness will lead us past our blindness so not another living soul will ever have to be unloved.” – Jann Arden

Last night, as the Bokke claimed world domination on the rugby field, a beautiful young woman committed suicide here in Dubai. She jumped from her apartment window on the sixth floor.

If she didn’t die, she would have been jailed the moment she left hospital as suicide is illegal in Dubai. Still, so may people here seem to lack a reason to live.

What is it that drives a person over the edge of despair? There are things in this world that turn my bones to ice but there is really nothing that the smile of a good friend or a hug from my family cannot soothe. OK, so sometimes the situation calls for tea and Bovril on toast. Other times a decent bottle of red (or a tequila in emergencies) can also come in handy, if only to provide temporary oblivion.

I can only begin to understand why she did it. Dubai is a really lonely place and sometimes I do feel the wind howling through the spaces that my friends and my beautiful view used to fill back in Cape Town.

But her pain went much, much deeper than that.

In fact it lived inside of her. She didn’t die alone. If she would have had the baby here in Dubai, she would have been jailed as soon as she left the hospital as sex out of marriage is strictly forbidden.

Perhaps her family back home would have disowned her for bringing scandal into their lives. Maybe the father of the child didn’t care for her.

Whatever happened to forgiveness? How is it that humans rate pride higher than respect? That someone has to feel there is no one there when the day turns black? Mothers, fathers, friends, children, lovers. Aren’t these the people that we need the most when the earth starts moving under our feet?

Whatever happened to love?

Not the commercialized, Valentine version of love but the one that can sit down and say “You’re ok, I’m ok and whatever happens we’ll get through it.”

For millions of people around the world, a ball game in my favourite city provided moments of true happiness last night. At the same time some girl was so sad that there was no hope or dream to try and live for anymore.

If you are reading this, please say a prayer to whoever you believe God to be that “not another living soul will ever have to be unloved”.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

I live in Dubai. Last week, as I was leaving my apartment to get into my car I saw an Indian guy jump from his apartment accross the street. This is really disturbing. If people are that unhappy here why don't they just go back to their own countries?

Anonymous said...

is this girl joyda?

Anonymous said...

Sad and disturbing story. Saturday was a night of mixed emotions, euphoria of SA winning the RWC and waking up the next morning to hear that my flatmate's best friend's daughter died in a car accident saturday night, 20 years old hit by a driver that's DUI

Zhazhuzha said...

I think its really sad if people are that desperate that they think they have no other choice.
Grateful to lead a happy life with tolerant people and great friends and parents!