Tebuhleni Nxumalo, from Eswatini (formerly Swaziland), is currently completing a PhD in Multidisciplinary Human Rights Law at the University of Pretoria. Having worked with survivors of child sexual abuse, her personal life experiences alongside those of other women led to the realization that “safe spaces” were no longer safe. Instead, sanctuaries like churches had been invaded by sexual predators dressed in priestly robes, hidden in plain sight.

Tebuhleni holds a master’s degree in Educational Psychology and believes that her multidisciplinary training gives her an edge in tackling the unique interplay of psychological, legal, and spiritual factors at play in the sexual abuse of adult women by men with religious authority. Her research focuses on accountability mechanisms for sexual violence in religious spaces, with a particular focus on adult women whose adult status assumes they are excluded from discourses of vulnerability, power, and consent in the context of gender-based violence in the church.

Tebuhleni is a wife, mother, daughter, sister, and a woman committed to making a difference. As her referees say, she is “that rare combination of an exceptionally brilliant mind paired with compassion, outstanding work ethic and commitment to justice.” “She is a born leader and inspires trust in others.”