Rape is one of the major social vices ravaging the society. It has become a thing of great concern in our society, it became more rampant as it appears on daily media reports.Women, young girls and children no longer feel safe due to the rampant cases of rape in the society. They hardly carry out their activities peacefully. Young women hardly exercise their duties within the society they live just because of the beasts living within them. The rapist who in normal circumstances is supposed to be their guardian in the society ends up being the cause of their pain and suffering.
In a conversation with some of the rape victims in Maiduguri, the Borno state capital, they disclosed that when they met a guy or group of guys who destroyed their life, they go through several pains and thoughts. At the beginning they thought it’s their last day on earth because of the pain and sorrow they went through.
The victims said the guys used them forcefully by removing their clothes or tearing it down. In most instances they are over-powered by the guys, or their life is threatened either by knife or other weapon that forced them to keep quite. Others used their friendship as opportunity and drug them, when they are off, then they are molested.
The victims who don’t want their identities to be disclosed said these things happen to many girls and that affect their live as they lead others to continue having sexual activities anyhow because they have seen the worst.
Most of rape victims are having psychological disorder caused by the pain of the rape. In most instances, they try to fight for their right but even when reported to authorities, nothing will happen to the rapists and you end up putting yourself in more danger. So for that reason many victims and their families are in pain and silence of their rights being tempered by just a so called son of a rich for nothing man.
The activity of rape is one of the major problems in many undeveloped societies especially in Northeastern Nigeria where the activities of the Boko Haram insurgents have displaced thousands of women and children. And as a result they all are packed in IDP camps in a midst of non-relatives that are from diverse societies with different disciplines and morals.
Many people in this environment are less or not educated and that stimulates the secretion of their pains and no one is taking any action to eliminate the barbaric act in the society and the act is not stopping, it keeps growing day by day. I fear the kind of society we will be living in few decades to come.
Governments, especially the local and the state levels, community leaders and other influential people in our societies should consider the laws on rape issues and it should also provide a due process of filing reports on rape. Though not every community has a standard station where victims can report to but there are traditional leaders that can help in compiling reports. Examples should be shown so that people should fear what’s going to happen.
And also individuals involved should get help or take action by directly intervening when you see someone taking advantage of a person who is not capable of giving consent, build and engage in healthy, respectful relationships with your boyfriend, take a self-defense class. Your mind, your voice and your body are powerful tools for prevention. And if you witness sexual harassment at the workplace or in public places, expose the behaviour, don’t tolerate it.
Naomi N. Ishaya,
Department of Mass Communication,
University of Maiduguri