THE WOMAN TODAY…

The Woman today is a shadow of herself because of what happened yesterday

The attitude she has today, is a reflection of her yesterday.

The timid woman today, is a reflection of what she went through yesterday.

The courageous woman today, is a reflection of what happened yesterday.

Dear woman, everyone has a past; be it good or bad. The ‘you’ today and tomorrow all depend on how you resolved your past.

Many of us have been victims of violence especially sexual violence. Many of us were forced into early and unhappy marriages, which resulted into domestic violence and even spousal rape. Many of us have been victims of other forms of sexual assault.

Due to all these, some women are timid and week, others have become “too strong to handle.”

The fact that our communities have not understood what rape is, and its effects on the victim have led to an increase in the prevalence of this social ill. In our communities, rape cases are negotiated and the perpetrator goes unpunished. The victims are not given appropriate psychosocial care, community members tend to put the blame on the victim. This has left a scar on these victims; most of which brings them pain throughout their lives. This has made them shadows of themselves.

I have had some instances of sexual assault, but I handled instantly and at the moment to pass a warning message to other men. Let me tell you a summary of two instances. I slapped a bike rider at the junction of my school, when I was still in the university, because he tapped my buttocks, when I was passing. This made onlookers surprised, but I owed no one explanations for my action. I also warned my lecturer for tapping my breast in class… I don’t tolerate these acts from anybody; no matter who you are. This is because once tolerated, it continues and at the end, most girls get rapped

RAPE IS A CRIME and there’s no excuse for it.  It’s high time we broke the silence on rape and other forms of sexual violence. It’s high time we stopped negotiating with perpetrators of rape.

I took the pledge to fight sexual violence by all cost. I educate the young girls of my community about rape and what to do when faced with a situation of rape. I educate them not to tolerate or smile at anyone who dares touches them “inappropriately”. I teach them to know that they are worth everything and they have to be treated with dignity.

Join me in this race… Let’s build a girl with a positive mind today, so that she will not be a Shadow woman tomorrow, but the strong nation builder who she is.