Open Letter to the Public:
For the past 11 years, from 2011 until the present day, I have been living with my brother, and the experience has been nothing short of a living nightmare. What was meant to be a supportive living arrangement has instead become a constant source of abuse, manipulation, and utter despair. I am writing this open letter to the public in the hopes of finding a way out of this torturous situation and to shed light on the plight that I have been facing.
Staying with my brother has not only caused me a severe mental breakdown but has also made me hate living. With every passing minute, I find myself silently praying that I could trade my life for someone who has just passed away. The mental and emotional anguish that I have endured over the years is truly indescribable, and I often find myself wondering if I will ever be able to escape this hellish existence.
Despite the constant abuse and demeaning behavior that my brother has exhibited towards me, the rest of our family members have been supporting his actions. This has made it increasingly difficult for me to seek assistance or find a way to escape this toxic environment. I am not suicidal, but the ongoing stress and anguish have taken a heavy toll on my well-being.
I am a 29-year-old student studying BCom Accounting at the University of South Africa through distance learning. However, my academic progress has been severely hindered by my brother's constant interference and sabotage. Since 2013, when I was in matric, he has consistently prevented me from going to school, and he has continued to do so over the years. He has made it abundantly clear that he does not want me to complete my degree, and he has even gone as far as to tell the family that he gave me R30,000 to go to school, which is a blatant lie, as I have never received any such money from him.
Instead, I have had to miss exams and assignment submissions due to the constant demands he places on me. I am required to take his child to aftercare, look for the TV remote, and attend to his wife's requests, all of which prevent me from focusing on my studies. This has significantly delayed my academic progress, and I am constantly feeling overwhelmed and exhausted.
Moreover, my brother has often told the family that I am not following his "house rules," when in reality, I have done nothing wrong. He has even gone so far as to say that his life would have been better if I had died instead of my mother, which is a deeply hurtful and traumatizing statement.
I am reaching out to the public now, not because I want to cause any more trouble, but because I am genuinely seeking assistance or employment that can help me become self-sufficient and independent. I cannot continue living in this abusive and manipulative environment, and I need support from the public or other organizations to find a way out.
Please, I urge anyone who is reading this to offer any assistance or guidance that could help me break free from this nightmare. I am willing to work hard and become self-sufficient, but I need the understanding and support of the public to make that a reality. No one should have to endure the kind of abuse and torment that I have been subjected to, and I hope that by sharing my story, I can inspire others to stand up against such injustice.
Sincerely,
familiar stranger
