Breaking The Silence

Digesting a Study of Janet Aguti's Totya Platform and its Social Impact on Survivors of Sexual Violence, Stigma

by C. Charles Bley

Author’s Note—The changemaking community surrounding SINA (Social Innovation Academy) has again drawn scholarly researchers to the Mpigi district of Uganda. In 2022, the organization’s history, purpose, target population, community presence, and empowerment framework were documented in a graduate thesis by Carina Schenk. In the interest of accessibility, select key aspects of that work were then “digested” into a collection of shorter articles.

The following article digests a 2024 thesis by Elwine R?ell who, similarly to Schenk, carried out much of their study on the ground in Mpigi. R?ell’s work examines the social enterprise Totya Platform—from its organizational structure and community partnerships to its empowering effect on survivors of sexual violence and the breaking down of stigma they face. The thesis revolves around qualitative data, and incorporates fourteen semi-structured, in-depth interviews with female survivors and Totya Platform’s community workers, as well as two partners from the Mpigi Police.

Totya Platform was founded (and continues to be managed) by Janet Aguti, a graduate of SINA. Its headquarters is located at SINA’s flagship campus, Jangu International. Both SINA and Totya Platform are advanced by fiercely dedicated groups working locally to reverse trends and disrupt systems which keep people down.?

Fear Not

“I did not know how wrong it was, but I feared I would be beaten anyway[.]” —J. Aguti

There is more to fear, in the context of sexual violence, than an immediate threat to one’s life, health, or safety. Stigma imposed upon survivors of sexual violence tends to be deeply ingrained in a culture, and is at times permitted or enforced by law. The result is an indefinite extension of the threat.?

Across the developing world, impoverished and oppressed peoples are highly vulnerable to sexual violence in a variety of forms.

The founder of Totya Platform, a survivor of childhood sexual violence and a resident of Mpigi, applied her training at SINA toward developing a mechanism through which other survivors in the Mpigi district could find empowerment, acceptance, and healing. At the time of this writing, 6 years since its founding, Totya Platform has served that very purpose for over 10,000 individuals.

Totya Platform’s founder, its staff, and community partners would likely agree that survivors who come forward and speak out contribute more than anyone to the dismantling of traditions, patterns and systems of stigmatization. These individuals live up to the name Totya, which means “fear not” in Luganda, a commonly spoken language in Mpigi and central Uganda.?

The move away from fear–and toward healing–can come through small steps, but it often begins with one brave one: either reaching out to Totya Platform on one’s own, or accepting support offered by Totya or another source.

Opening Doors

Totya Platform functions in part by spreading awareness within communities about the various forms and effects of sexual abuse, and among survivors regarding the accessibility of anonymous psychosocial support, emergency medical services and legal representation. The result is and continues to be an increase in reporting of sexual violence–and a decrease in survivors remaining silent out of fear.

To reach a survivor who has been driven not only into silence but actual physical isolation is possibly the greatest challenge addressed by Totya Platform. Survivors may find their closest relatives to be their greatest oppressors, for example, being told not to report in order to avoid bringing shame to the family. In one of the worst-case scenarios, their attacker could be a family member.

Whatever the specifics to an individual case, the impact of Totya Platform’s outreach–to include its education and awareness programs–was validated through R?ell’s research. Participants themselves report the Platform as having precisely the intended effect. As one survey respondent said, “In my community, there are some young girls, six years or eight years [...] being raped and we do not know where to report to. So, when Totya came they taught us what to do[.]”

A significant portion of Totya’s outreach revolves around combating stigma-enforced oppression, which exclusively serves the (often hidden or misrecognized) interests of the oppressor. As identified in various studies cited by R?ell, these are constructs of oppression which keep people in, down, and away. Totya Platform’s multifaceted approach effectively addresses each of these aspects of stigmatization, as internalized by survivors and as imposed upon them by others.

The objective in such forms of oppression is to close doors on survivors, forcing them into silence and invisibility. Opening–or reopening–those doors is, therefore, a top priority for Totya. Once through the door, survivors discover that the vulnerability and danger they faced previously has become overpowered by support and acceptance.

From Sanctuary to Acceptance to Agency

After receiving information and accepting outreach, those who do receive counselling and intervention through Totya Platform–whether via telephone calls or physical visits–begin to experience a breaking-down of internalized stigma. Low self-esteem, shame and hiding are overcome: “[...] I no longer cry. I am strong, because of Totya[,]” said one interviewee.?

Aside from generally enhancing quality of life and mental well-being, the intention of Totya Platform and its community partners is to help survivors develop a sense of control over their lives, instilling agency and inspiring independence. Through survivor group gatherings, the Platform further strengthens the idea in its participants’ minds that they are truly not alone in their experiences. This fosters the emotional security of belonging.

In the course of its application, the Platform also takes practical and immediate needs into consideration, beginning with the giving out of basic supplies. Skills training is available in areas such as tailoring and hairdressing. This is doubly important in cases where sexual violence results in pregnancy and motherhood. Per one Totya community worker, “Totya supports [...] the mother by handing on skills. By supporting the mother, the mother supports the baby[.] [...A]fter getting some income[,] she can take care of the baby at a certain point.”

Doors to Home

“People look at them like they are spoiled. [...T]hey cannot do anything else, just because of what happened to them.” —a Totya community worker, interview response

The internalization of stigma by survivors relies partly on the actions (or inactions) of individuals who impose (or permit) that stigma in the first place. R?ell’s study validates that the unique community created by Totya Platform empowers survivors among themselves and their advocates.?

Elevating survivors’ status and visibility in society, however, requires changing a great many minds and hearts outside Totya Platform’s immediate influence. The success of such efforts is key to Totya’s long-term goal of eliminating all stigma imposed upon survivors of sexual violence. Reuniting or strengthening families is particularly important to that goal.

Again touching on motherhood, a routine angle of intervention is to encourage a family’s acceptance of a child born through sexual violence. One respondent described the intervention this way: “Totya came out and spoke to my family[, who] wanted the boy who made me pregnant to take care of me and my child, yet he had run away. So, Totya came up and took responsibility for me and the child[...] and made sure that [my] family came back to me.”

Totya’s efforts in this area also include counselling survivors on finding ways to love the resulting child (which can be difficult or impossible emotionally), and monitoring the well-being of the mother and child in order to provide child-rearing guidance. But, whether or not an attack results in motherhood, the survivor’s family may still stigmatize them for a number of reasons. In the most extreme cases, forced marriages, beatings and so-called ''honor killings'' are known to be inflicted by family members.?

One community worker revealed in her interview that she had been forced into marrying her rapist. This is a prime example of the advancement of Totya Platform by other survivors, who are committed to preventing others from experiencing similar trauma. These individuals know first-hand the incredible difficulty in persuading certain families to abandon traditions of stigmatization, oppression or violence.

Doors to Health Care

To foster a more open environment for addressing the health risks of sexual violence, Totya reaches both survivors and medical professionals. Medical professionals must be convinced to provide appropriate care and counsel, free of stigmatization. Survivors must be relieved of the stigma they anticipate they will face which prevents them from seeking care at all.

R?ell shows Totya Platform’s awareness interventions prove effective in reducing barriers to medical support for individuals who have experienced sexual violence. This aspect of the Platform is not limited to dismantling perceived and enacted stigma. A community worker interviewed said that “[...I]f there is no money for medical check-up, Totya sends you the money[,]” including for preventative care, therapeutic care, or transportation.

Doors to Justice

“The way they leave the police is not the same way as they come to the police. [...W]hen they go back to the community, the victims feel free.” —a Mpigi police officer, interview response

Because even a sworn police officer can hold personal views which prevent them from enforcing or obeying certain laws themselves, Janet Aguti ensured that Totya Platform includes outreach to and cooperation with law enforcement. Stigma and fear prevent reporting, and part of that fear is of the police themselves. Survivors must be assured that they will be respected and kept safe if they report their attack to police.?

Totya Platform makes successful inroads in this area. One Mpigi police officer described how the department now requests assistance directly from the organization on sexual assault cases. The officer also noted Totya workers’ willingness to travel far distances in the course of their work. The combined result is a positive correlation in survivor’s minds between the police and the Platform.

As with most of Totya Platform’s activities, their partnership with police is balanced with community awareness and education efforts. Totya creates fear not only for the perpetrators of sexual violence but for those who mistreat or punish survivors as well. This includes stressing the legal consequences for these behaviors, which are already written into Ugandan law, yet not always enforced.

Totya’s partnership with the Katonga Regional Police has directly contributed to an increase in reporting, and the securing of justice for a greater number of survivors than was previously known or possible.

Sensitizing Community Leaders

“Totya has done a good job because [...] they sensitize them, they empower them with materials and knowledge. And then [the community leaders] go back out [and, in turn, help to] sensitize their communities.” —a Totya community worker, interview response

Religious and other community leaders, at times, participate in patterns of stigmatization identical to those observed in the general population. Additionally, they can directly encourage stigma through their policies, edicts, words and actions. Outreach and education toward awareness are again utilized in reversing these pervasive cultural trends.?

R?ell’s study suggests that Totya’s staff and workers consider this an area in need of continuous enhancement. Levels of participation by–or collaboration with–cultural leaders and other public figures varies from community to community.

Projecting From The Platform

“I personally [...] do not see us working in Totya forever, because I believe the challenge can be solved and one day sexual violence will be history[.]” —J. Aguti

While some of Totya Platform’s functions and their benefits can easily be observed and quantified, an untold number of community members have experienced improved outcomes because of Totya’s awareness-building and outreach. Its true influence, how many doors it has opened...these data are practically impossible to know, and its projected impact in the medium to long-term is similarly unpredictable. Janet Aguti notes this as a barrier to securing funding.

As R?ell observed, even in somewhat constrained areas such as religious circles, Totya’s collaborations and interventions are clearly shifting local perceptions. Combined with its ability to effectively address and reverse the effects of stigma on survivors, it is reasonable to conclude that the Platform’s success can be replicated outside of Mpigi.

As for the present and near-future, Totya Platform is entering a phase of significant growth. This includes the relocation of its headquarters from Jangu International, and the extension of its services to various regions across Uganda. The organization has also acquired land and begun construction of a rehabilitation center for survivors.

Ultimately, the effectiveness of Totya Platform–in supporting survivors of sexual violence, ending stigma against them, and sensitizing their communities–has been validated by Elwine R?ell’s comprehensive study. Totya’s multifaceted approach ranges from outreach, psychosocial support, and awareness building to medical and legal assistance. Totya Platform’s staff, their community workers, and other partners, have opened the door for thousands of survivors to begin their journey from fear and hiding to empowerment and belonging.