SAY NO TO RAPE!!!!!!

Aside from the case of the covid 19 pandemic, this has been a major headline in my country for some time now. The issue of rape isn’t new, but it was the brutal killing of one of Its victims that gave rise to this protest. I would have written this post the month it occurred but I had to just delay it. Many people have gone through the traumatic experience of rape these past months of the lockdown. Today, I will be telling us the story of one of its victims “OMOZUWA”

Rape is seen as a traumatic experience that impacts its victims in a physical, psychological and sociological way. While some victims of this vicious act are left alive and try to survive the experience, some are brutally murdered in the process. So was the case of Vera, a young promising student of one of the prestigious universities in Nigeria.

Vera Uwalia Omozua was a 1st year student at the university of Benin, also known to all, in its short form, as UNIBEN. She was a 22 year old lady who, having waited 5 whole years for admission, got admitted into the university to study microbiology.

Let’s pause a bit here. From the brief details given above, we could see that she wasn’t a quitter. She waited 5 whole years for something people get in a year or two. During those five years of waiting, some of her friends may have already gotten the admission, maybe even have graduated and would now be looking for a job in his/her profession at any respectable company. She didn’t give up but kept on trying and she finally got in. Some in her situation would have attempted suicide. Some would have decided to leave schooling and focus on learning a trade or a skill. Some would have decided to join bad gangs, learning the act of pickpocketing and roaming the streets looking for money to steal. She didn’t opt for any of this things but decided to face her education. Now dear readers, let’s get back to the story.

Knowing how long it took her to get this admission, Vera decided to put in all her efforts in studying, to accomplish success and to make her waiting worth it. In order to accomplish this, she always went to the serene environment of her church, when worshippers were not around to read her books. It was a practice she was used to doing for a long time. She believed that, she will be free from distractions whenever she was there. I believe she felt safe going to her church even though it was in the night.

But on this fateful day, May 27, 2020, some wicked, evil, callous assailants gained access to the church auditorium where she was reading, gagged her mouth, tied both her hands to her back and brutally raped her. As if that wasn’t enough, these same assailants hit her hard on the head with a fire extinguisher, which gave her a big cut, with the hope of ending her life.

She was left in her own pool of blood for God knows how long. Nobody knew how long she stayed there, unconscious from her blood loss and bleeding. The security man arrived and saw her later on. She was immediately rushed to the hospital. But despite the efforts of the doctors to revive her, she eventually died.

Seeing her pictures, before and after the attack made me feel really sad. Here was a girl who was committed in getting the best out of life and who worked towards it, only for it to be wasted because of the lust of some sick pervert men. It’s been over two months now and we still seek justice for Vera and every other young girl out there who has been brutally raped and murdered. To be honest, this is so absurd. Yesterday it was racism, today it’s rape. I wonder what case it’ll be tomorrow.

Dear readers, this isn’t the first case of rape and murder this year. I’m speaking not only in view of Nigeria but of other countries as well. I see the case of rape as the highest point of insanity on the part of the offender. How can a sane individual brutally rape a girl and still kill her!!!!!!!!! She could be someone’s daughter, someone’s sister and even someone’s wife. How would that person feel, if that was done to his daughter, his sister, or even his wife? How can a sane human being carry a fire extinguisher and smash the head of his fellow human being for no reason other than the fear of being exposed as a rapist? Who does that!!!! I’ll tell you who: an insane person, a pervert, a wicked soul, and every other disgusting name you can think about!!!!!

I know rape happens on both genders but it’s more on the side of the female. And whys that? Let me tell you. It’s because some men see women as the weaker gender created for sex; as the gender that was created to depend on men and stand behind them. Well, let me say this now, women are not weak and they are not toys that men use to satisfy their needs in the bedroom. Women don’t need to stand in the shadow of men to be successful. It’s high time for women to stop being treated as trash and be treated as the superb created entity they really are. She shouldn’t be raped and be treated like a dog. She is a human being and should therefore be treated as one.

Rape isn’t just something that one can walk away from. It can lead to physical, psychological and sociological impacts on its victim.

PHYSICAL IMPACT.

1. Pregnancy
2. Sexually Transmitted Diseases.
3. Urinary tract infections.
4. Chronic pelvic pain.

PSYCHOLOGICAL IMPACT.

1. Depression.
2. Post traumatic stress disorder.
3. Anxiety.
4. Self blame.
5. Suicide.

SOCIOLOGICAL IMPACT.

1. Victim Blaming; This normally comes in the form of blaming the rape victim for the assault. When a girl is raped, some people just believe that it was based on how she was dressed. So rather than helping the girl, they blame her instead. Not every girl that is raped was dressed indecently. There was a similar case of rape and murder a few years back here in Nigeria. It had to do with a young girl of 14. Can you guess the reason why she was raped? She was raped by a group of boys because she refused their advances on her. Telling her mother about the harassment, she was told to stay in her house. But this group of foolish boys still gained access to her house and raped her. Can you believe it!!!!!!!! Not every person should be blamed for being raped. It is wrong to do so.
2. Secondary Victimisation.

Recovering from rape isn’t easy for the victim. That’s why some group of concerned individuals come together to form NGO’S ( Non-governmental organisations) against this ungodly act, to let the victims and survivors of rape, know that they are not alone in this fight for justice.

Dear readers, it’s high time we stand up against this cruel act in our society. It’s time for us take a stand and shout out loud;

RAPE IS DEMORALIZING!!!!!!!!

SAY NO TO RAPE!!!!!