Rape in one word is sexual assault that is carried out without consent usually in a forceful manner or coercion in order to penetrate either the hymen or Anus.
Sex with an underage child is rape because a child cannot give consent.
After interacting with so many adults, I found out that a lot of men and women were abused as kids by older women, older men, gays, house helps, big aunties, big uncles, brothers, sisters, visitors and family friends.
Men have no vagina and hymen, but it’s quite difficult to detect abuse in male children. Most times, they get really drowned into it and some may end up with stool incontinence while female children would also end up with vesicle vagina fistula and psychological trauma before anyone finds out. It is therefore time for an all inclusive fight against sexual assault/abuse because sexual assault is a crime against humanity and not a particular gender; a fight which should be devoid of sexist bias for greater efficacy and a fight which indeed is attainable.
Facilities for managing cases of sexual assault/abuse are grossly inadequate in Nigeria; this is why many victims end up traumatized and even develop posttraumatic stress disorder.
Serious injuries during rape can result to sexually transmitted infections, and in some cases unwanted pregnancy. The victim may also be addicted as they grow up if not properly handled psychologically and therapeutically.
Society in most cases we’ve seen or heard defend the reason for rape as tied to the place one was raped, time of rape, or the clothes he/she was wearing, or the fact that the victim was alone which women are mostly the victims as we all know and according to statistics.
This absurd way of thinking deflects blame from where it rightly belongs (perpetrator) to the wrong person (victim), how then can we eradicate sexual abuse with victims blaming mentality? Prevention of sexual assault will remain a mirage until society puts this toxic way aside, learn to condemn sexual abuse of all kinds, stop victim blaming and support victims coming forward with their stories.
Most victims are motivated by a wish to prevent other’s victimization, responsibility for the eradication of sexual assault rests with you and me.
And it begins with addressing the cultural values and norms that support and tolerate sexual assault in our society.
On a closing remark, we as a society should understand that, rape is a deliberate act carried out on purpose which there is no justification for, and is high time we started bringing the offenders to book, not exonerating them and blaming the victim while the rape-offenders still roam out there scot free looking for their next victim.
And the more we blame the victims for being raped, the more we enable and encourage the rapists to keep up with their inhumane act.
Unique Fady writes from Zaria, Kaduna. She can be reached at [email protected]
The views expressed in this article are the author’s and do not necessarily reflect WikkiTimes’ editorial stance.
