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SOUTH Africa Skeem Saam’s recent storyline on rape and consent has touched many, including Outlaws and Red Ink actress Nirvana Nokwe-Mseleku.
Taking to social media, Nokwe-Mseleku shared that the dialogues sparked on Skeem Saam show how poor and disorganised people’s ideas of consent and violation are.
“I am writing to share an experience I had during a recent project on set, involving a violation of my personal boundaries in a scene where the character I was playing was being murdered and raped,” wrote Nokwe-Mseleku.
The actress was recently on Showmax’s Red Ink, where she portrayed the described character alongside Bonko Khoza.
She said the incident took place on set at night, where professionalism and respect were expected.
Boundaries violated
She wrote: “I felt uncomfortable and unsafe due to actions that crossed my personal boundaries. My physical and psychological boundaries were no simulation of the act of rape.
“Under no circumstances is my co-star to thrust his pelvis into mine.
“The rape could be implied in a close-up; it was rehearsed that he would push me over the car bonnet, lay on my back to whisper in my ear, then come out of the frame, which was on a close-up of my face screaming, and the scene would end there.
“I had requested to be taken to therapy upon completion of my role.”
She further narrated that although her co-star violated her physical and emotional boundaries, they shot many variations of the scene.
During her close-up, in the most vulnerable and compromised position, her co-star came out of the frame and took it upon himself to thrust his pelvis into hers.
“Just before the close-up, my co-star tried to negotiate the perimeters, which were agreed to and understood by all of us.
“‘It’s a big moment; maybe you want to consider it. Give a little flinch; take it further. I ask him, ‘what do you mean, consider it.
‘The scene has been blocked, and I’m comfortable with how things have been blocked. There’s no thrusting. We are just implying that it happened. I’m not comfortable with you thrusting me”.
“He says, ‘okay, but just consider it’.”
Remedy of therapy
The actress said the experience has affected her sense of safety and confidence in her work environment.
She asked for a simple remedy of therapy and a written apology, which was later agreed upon as therapy and a mediated meeting.
She describes this as one that was met with hostility, gaslighting, and intimidation, ultimately leading to inaction.
“I opened a case and was redirected to five police stations, which, luckily, all clearly understood where the violation occurred,” she said.
“Except for one, my investigative officer, who did not even understand the definition of sexual assault and debated that the one on the SAPS [SA Police Service] government website was ‘too vague’. That sexual assault can only happen by the hands.” (sundayworld.co.za)
derick.khumalo