A Cape Town teenager has broken her silence in a powerful public post, laying bare years of abuse at the hands of her father, a wealthy businessman whose violent actions first surfaced in a viral video more than two years ago, Cape {town} Etc reports.
The harrowing footage, initially released in January 2023, shocked the country. It showed a man attacking his wife in bed while their daughter, who was just 13 at the time, tried desperately to shield her mother from the blows. That girl, now 15, has come forward to reclaim her voice and her name.
‘I’m 15 years old. I’ve lived in fear long enough,’ reads the opening line of Caitlin Donald’s Instagram post, shared from her account @stronger_enough_to_speak_out. Her words have since rippled through South African social media, reigniting public outrage and demands for accountability.
The original video, which circulated widely through WhatsApp groups and community forums, depicted a chilling scene: the man rising from bed, phone in hand, striking his wife while their child attempted to intervene. The footage escalates as he throws the woman off the bed and appears to strangle her, all while the young girl watches in terror.
Though the man’s identity remains legally protected to safeguard his victims, his background as a prominent figure in Cape Town’s business world has drawn significant public attention.
Caitlin’s message, however, has shifted focus from the man’s reputation to the emotional wreckage he allegedly left behind.
‘For years, my father has verbally, physically, and emotionally abused my mother and me,’ she wrote. ‘Now, he’s doing the same to my little brothers. They’re only 8, and they already walk like they’re in a warzone.’
According to Caitlin, the abuse began long before the video surfaced. In 2018, her mother opened an assault case against the businessman. Though he was arrested, the case was withdrawn when, as AfriForum confirmed, emotional trauma rendered the mother and child unable to testify.
That same year, closed-circuit footage captured further incidents of abuse in the couple’s home.
Caitlin says the legal system still isn’t listening.
‘I’ve been testifying for almost six years,’ she wrote. ‘The court says I must wait until I’m 18 to have a real say in whether I see my dad. Why is a 12-year-old in a less serious case allowed to choose, and I’m not?’
Her plea – raw, defiant, and deeply emotional – ends with a call for public solidarity.
‘If the courts won’t protect us, if the system won’t believe us, then I’m asking the world to listen,’ she said. ‘Please. Don’t let my father get away with this.’
The non-profit organisation Women For Change has since voiced its support, commenting publicly under the teen’s post: ‘We have been in direct contact with the survivor.’
As the case unfolds, Caitlin’s message continues to gather momentum online, serving as both a cry for help and a rallying call to other victims of domestic violence.
If you or someone you know is experiencing abuse, support is available. Contact SAPS, the GBV Command Centre at 0800 428 428, or reach out to local advocacy groups.
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