What You Can Change In 2014 by Manuel Adesola

Here comes the dawn of a new day to mastermind the birth of a new moment, the introduction of a new phase and at the end revelation of a new year. On the morrow are promises of life, forgiveness of yesterdays and forgetfulness of yester-years. The past years had gone pregnant with happenings, many of which are favoring, a few of which are not. But depending on the perspective of view, everything may be to one as an advantage; the good, the bad and ugly as the bible puts; "All things work together for good to them that love God." But for the blood that flows within, and flesh that abhor pains, one would want a pill or two to end the trauma of victimization.

But I tell you, if it was a pain that respond to pain reliever, I am sure the clinic will have prescriptions for you.

Or if it was an ache that answers to the dictates of pain killers, doctors would have extra work on their hands to attend to.

But because it is not, it denies you the comfort of drugs to end the agony of pain. It is more of the mind than flesh. It radiates in emotion and feeling than the eyes can diagnose.

But in all that, you have a killer that kills kill. They call Him Comforter, Healer and Savior; He won’t leave you to know these pains alone but will take over the pain completely from you. Of a truth and fact I can tell, His power of restoration is efficient. He will put you back to where you belong; physically, mentally, emotionally, spiritually and it won’t feel like anything was lost. By the time He is done, a new page would be opened and you would be asked to write a new you. Because as soon as you walk to Him, He re-programs your life to where you were before Him and not where circumstance of life has taken you. To Him, you are still the sweet daughter, a vessel to be used for His honor. Remember, no one can take away the purpose of a product as determined by the manufacturer. They can condemn and criticize but can’t stop the flow of a product to do its role. Your manufacturer, God is telling you not to forget your purpose because you were molested.

The Battle of Sexes by Abimbola Abiola

I grew up in an environment where the girls were ordered not to talk when the elders did. It was a sin to share your opinion, argue your thoughts in actuality we had no right or freedom of speech. We were meant to act dumb even though we had active minds. Obedience meant silence, silence wasn’t an option, it was forcibly imposed, it was part of our lives; you abide by this makes you an obedient child, you don’t and there's an unfortunate stigma attached to your name.

Rape: The Victim, Society & Breaking the Silence.

One day at lunch, a group of four young men seated by me were having a discussion about a rape video. They chatted so loudly about it I had no problem tuning my ears for better reception. Any ways, even though they had no knowledge of the perpetrator and victim, they spoke as if they did. All except one agreed that the lady deserved what she got and was to be blamed. The lady represented a case study related to their own experiences.

I listened as they bragged about their rape escapades giving counts of the number of girls they'd raped as proofs. Some were hailed for ‘doing’ more than the others. To them, rape is an act of dominance and gaining control over difficult unwilling girls ––  it's used punish and degrade them.