The judgment of the year which makes my fight so worth it

Dear World,

Over 18 months ago a three year old baby was brutally raped, sodomized and dumped for dead. She would have died like many others before and after her, had fate and faith not led her parents to our attention and had they. Ot trusted us completely to help them out.

I am talking about two main organizations to with: The Network for Solidarity Hope and Empowerment founded by Ms Belle Sonkey ( One I fondly call my Grand Soeur GS); and Hope for the Abused and Battered founded by my humble self.

I was on the ground and stepped in from all angles like a mother hawk. I earned the affectionate title of 'General' from my GS because I was ever ready to go for that case. 

I was at the hospital for all four surgeries that baby underwent even though in a different city from mine, and I showed up ready in court each time needed even though that city was even farther than where she was hospitalized.

I did get a lot of support, and GS Belle was on the ground once so we go to court together, precisely on the day the perpetrator was being interrogated. That day was traumatic for the baby we called Judy, she trembled athos sight oh my.

Well, my fight and our fight paid off...he got sentenced to life imprisonment...this is not his first crime, he had previously raped two little girls in the hood with none of the families ready to report him.

This judgment is literally a first of it's kind in that part of the country where rape is so rampant yet families are either so helpless or scared about prosecution. Some have even preferred for fear of stigma to hide the crime and collect money in return. Other times, the judiciary has been blamed for neglecting cases brought to their attention or encouraging the shady settlements. 

The good news is it didn't happen this time. A powerful jurisprudence was set and this judgment will be a deterrence to other perpetrators...

This win is not just for me and our respective organizations, but it is for us all mothers and daughters of Eve whose children and young relatives are sexually abused and viciously raped, for those of us who were sexually abused and raped in our own youth and no one fought for us...

This is my best Christmas present ever, and I am so motivated to keep on fighting for our children...

I am so grateful for all the holistic support I, and we got through it all, as well as the lessons learned. Baby Judy will grow up to know we didn't let her become another statistic and that whatever happens we can fight and face that too.