Survivor: 'I wanted to end my life, now I have more to live for'

I don't know if I am writing right, but somewhere I could find the strength. There is no joy about being raped, it is the most traumatic thing anyone can experience. My body has been through so much.

I hope people really know that rape victims are going through a lot. While some people and organizations are working hard to stop the stigmatization on rape victims, some people are ready to keep the stigmatization going.

RAPE SURVIVORS, you have to brace yourself for the reaction you will get from people, you will lose friends, family, people will talk badly about you, they will stay away from. I experienced all these. Some people wish they have the courage to #SpeakOut, but are really scared of what people will say.

Straight from Habiba's Heart

We have been running various inspiring words from our inspiring and brave survivor Habiba Olawale (check HERE). This is another for y'all. Please listen to rape survivors when they need someone to talk to, hug them if they require it. Such acts might seem little but they go a long way in helping them heal. Read more...

It's not normal!

Do you have those conversations with you friends/family who in trying to say the right thing just say the wrong thing. I had a conversation today with one of them after a really tough therapy session and I was explaining how I was feeling, now it's actually not that often that I speak to them about it anymore, I just don't bother and just keep everything for my therapist and today I was reminded why!

The Worrisome Growth of Rape Cases in #Nigeria

One major definition or should I say characteristic of news that is etched indelibly in my memory is that “when a dog bites a man, that is not news, because it happens so often. But if a man bites a dog, that is news.” This characteristic, as I was told, explains the need to avoid publishing recurrent issues as headlines so as not to bore the reader. Events that are not commonplace attract more audience than daily occurrences.

Personally, recurring news don’t tickle my fancy. And I’m sure there are many people whose attentions are not drawn by news articles they’ve read many times.

For a while now, cases of rape and all forms of sexual molestations, especially on innocent little girls have become widespread. Times there were when such cases roused many discussions and made the banner headlines of our newspapers. However, with the frequency of such cases, I’m afraid they have been consigned to the category of “dog bites man”. Having been overly reported, they only attract little readership. People now dismiss such news with a shrug of their shoulders as they have become commonplace and deserve no second thought.

More worrisome and heartbreaking is the fact that bizarre cases where renowned clergymen have unholy relationships with their church members (read) and fathers molest their children (Also read) now constitute the bulk of these cases. These cases are published but most times, we don’t get to hear anything concerning their outcomes.

#Nigeria -- The Surge In Rape Cases

Statistics on rape incidents may still not be a good reflection of the extent of the crime. Stigmatisation of rape victims keeps the numbers low, a further armoury to the criminals.

In the United States, where about 80,000 cases of rape reported to the police from 2004 to 2010, according to United Nations data, US Justice and Department estimates 300,000 American women are raped annually, and the Centre for Disease Control says 1.3 million.

The 678 cases the Lagos State Police Command said it recorded between March 2012 and March 2013, should be seen as numbers: Unreported rape cases are on the increase. More alarming is that the epidemic affects underage persons. The media are replete with reports of young girls sexually violated, as young as three months.

Comedy Group in #India Responds to All the ‘Stupid and Hateful Remarks’ Targeting Sexual Assault Survivors

We have the likes of Basketmouth, Bovi, Akpororo, who are really funny and I believe have a vital tool that can contribute to #EndRape. During some of their shows, they can make jokes centered around rape and just yarb (insult) rapists. I'm sure it will hurt some of them and maybe, just maybe; it will trigger their conscience. Well, since they haven't thought of the idea, a comedy group in #India, fed up with rampant victim-blaming demonstrated towards women who've been raped, decided to fight back — with comedy.