In a district in South Africa's impoverished Eastern Cape province, health care workers report that hardly anyone is ever arrested for raping the mentally disabled. But now a home in the region is sheltering some of these women and girls. The compound of mud huts is known as “Home of Peace.” It’s the only facility for hundreds of miles in this mountainous part of South Africa that rehabilitates people with mental disabilities.
Mentally Ill Girls at Risk of Rape in South Africa
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Alex Gunther says all mentally disabled and mentally ill people deserve love and dignity (VOA/Taylor)
![Community elder Mama ka Blondie [left] and Alex Gunther prepare to serve lunch at Ikhaya Loxolo (VOA/Taylor)](https://gdb.voanews.com/6493d759-f2fc-44f9-a7f8-6089eefbb552_w1024_q10_s.jpg)
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Community elder Mama ka Blondie [left] and Alex Gunther prepare to serve lunch at Ikhaya Loxolo (VOA/Taylor)
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Alex and Michael Gunther gaze over their land in Hobeni in South Africa’s Eastern Cape province (VOA/Taylor)
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Alex Gunther picks herbs in the home’s garden (VOA/Taylor)