When the father is the rapist!
By Itoro Eze-Anaba
Why would a father rape his own child? Why would an uncle rape his niece? Is it true that when a man marries a woman who already has a teenage girl, he is actually targeting the teenage girl? According to rape survivors, the worst form of abuse that any woman can deal with is rape. If not properly and professionally handled, the survivor becomes psychologically traumatized, at times suicidal. Where the perpetrator is a family member, someone trusted, with an obligation to protect and care for the survivor, it becomes even more traumatic.
Today, we are telling the stories of children-minors, who were raped by their family members-fathers, step fathers and uncle in the month of January 2016. Please read on.
*Mary is a 16-year-old girl who had been sexually assaulted by her step father at the age of 11. She reported to her mother and relations severally but instead of supporting her and taking steps to stop the abuse, the mother and the perpetrator would beat her up.
*Funmi is 11. She had been sexually assaulted by her step father. Funmi’s elder sister, Tosin had also accused him of of sexually assaulting her when she was 11 years old.
*Victoria, an 11-year-old child lives with her aunt. On several occasions, her aunt’s husband will take her into the room and forcefully penetrate her vaginally and anally. He would beat her during the act. Her cries of anguish were misunderstood by neighbours who usually thought she was being punished for misbehaving.
*Chika lives with her father and uncle in a one room apartment. On several occasions, her uncle would drug her and rape her. On waking up she would not remember anything. It was not until one of her siblings caught him red handed that she decided to tell her mum. Chika is pregnant with her uncle’s child. She is only 16 years old.
*At the age of 12, Martha is pregnant for her father. Sometime last year, while sleeping she felt someone trying to remove her skirt. On waking up she realized it was her father who immediately covered her mouth with his hand and raped her.
*Another agonizing story is that of Ayo, a 9-year-old child who lives with her mother and step father. According to Ayo, her step father has been raping her vaginally and anally. Her step father would touch her ears with a ring and put it on her chest which makes her not to remember anything including the assault itself. It was not until Ayo’s elder sister caught him in the act that the assault became public.
*The list is not exhaustive as over 50 cases, majority of whom are children, have been reported this month.Why are men raping our children? What should we do to these men?
Do you have answers or comments? Please send a mail at sarc@pjnigeria.org
